The festival includes fun events like parades, live performances, and demonstrations. Contests like Miss Pumpkin Show, pumpkin pie eating, a pumpkin toss, and a Big Wheel race add to the fun. The pumpkin show also features fair rides and games. Chris won a cane last year by throwing a rubber hoop on a bottle. Tina remembers, “He does not need a cane, but you would have thought he won a million dollars; he was so excited! All the kids watching had ‘cane envy!’”

When she attends the Pumpkin Show, Tina loves admiring the giant pumpkins competing for awards. Other highlights include seeing people in pumpkin-themed outfits and eating pumpkin-flavored food, such as chili, burgers, pizza, tacos, and various sweet treats. 

“You have to check out the giant pumpkin pie made by Lindsey's Bakery each year,” Tina recommends. This monstrous pie, on display in the bakery at 127 West Main Street, is six feet in diameter and weighs over 400 pounds. “At the end of the four-day event, the giant pie is donated to area hogs that look forward to a real treat!”

The pumpkin show, called the “Greatest Free Show on Earth,” draws hundreds of thousands yearly. Tina warns that parking can be challenging. While you can do your best to find street parking or leave your vehicle in a nearby lot and take a shuttle, Tina and Chris prefer paying to park in someone’s yard who lives close by.

If you’re looking for a new family activity this fall, consider driving to the Circleville Pumpkin Show! This year, the 121st Pumpkin Show will be held from Wednesday, October 16, through Saturday, October 19. Visit www.pumpkinshow.com for more information and to see a full schedule of events.