Manteca Hides Final $100 Pumpkin on Gateway Sign
The Manteca Bulletin concluded its virtual pumpkin hunt by hiding the final $100 prize on the city's new gateway sign.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Philanthropy
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The Manteca Bulletin hid its final $100 virtual pumpkin on the Manteca gateway sign over South Main Street, and Ed Larimer was the first to find it. The hunt was run through a series of descriptive clues published by the newspaper.
Why it matters
The hunt ties a local prize-driven community activity to a newly installed civic landmark that the city hopes will become an iconic symbol for Manteca, similar to the old water tower. It gives Manteca residents a reason to engage with the sign's new role in local life.
The final pumpkin carried a $100 prize, and the gateway sign's 2,800 programmable LED lights and 10,000-pound weight were built to its 92-foot-4-inch span, almost four times the 24-foot arches Fusion Signs installed in South California. The total number of pumpkins and participants in the hunt was not disclosed.
The players
Ed Larimer
Ed Larimer was the first person to locate the final $100 virtual pumpkin hidden by the Manteca Bulletin.
Manteca Bulletin
The Manteca Bulletin is the local newspaper that ran the virtual pumpkin hunt and hid its final prize on the city's gateway sign.
Fusion Signs
Fusion Signs is the firm that designed and installed the Manteca gateway sign and has also installed two similar 24-foot arches in South California.
The details
The clues for the pumpkin's location were published as descriptive hints, and the final pumpkin was hidden on the gateway sign between Wetmore Street and Oak Street by the railroad tracks, adjacent to the Manteca Animal Shelter. Fusion Signs designed and installed the sign, which the city uses to mark local events and seasons, including orange lights for Halloween.
Timeline
Homecoming week in recent months: sign showed school colors for Sierra, Manteca, and East Union.
Days leading up to and including Halloween: sign displayed orange lights.
November 3, 2026: Ed Larimer was first to find the final $100 virtual pumpkin.
Christmas season: sign expected to display red and green lights.
Business Context
The gateway sign is designed to become an iconic Manteca symbol in the tradition of the old water tower, positioning a new civic structure to carry community identity. Its 92-foot span and 2,800 programmable LEDs show how the city is using modern lighting to mark seasons and local events.
Manteca residents will see the gateway sign light up in red and green for Christmas, giving the city a visible seasonal marker along South Main Street. The sign's programmable lighting also means its colors can change to mark local events throughout the year.
The takeaway
Local landmarks can build community identity when they are used for shared activities, and Manteca's gateway sign shows how a community prize hunt can connect residents to a new civic symbol. Watching how the sign's lighting is used across seasons is a practical way to see that identity take shape.
What happens next
The sign is expected to display red and green lights for the Christmas season.
Further reading
Explore more community giving stories in Philanthropy coverage for Manteca.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Manteca Bulletin.
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