Hallowe’en is just around the corner, so it’s time to buy some fake blood, get a scary mask and start planning that costume.
The annual fright-fest may not have quite the same scary hold over us that it did when we were young, but it’s still a great opportunity to dress up and have some spooky fun.
But Hallowe’en isn’t just about freaky costumes and fancy dress parties, it’s also about pumpkins! While not everyone likes to dress up or go “trick or treating”, the challenge of making the best carving in a pumpkin (like these in our featured image by Keene Pumpkin Festival / Mickey Pullen) is one that few of us can resist.
Making a face using nothing but a knife and your own creativity is much harder than it sounds, and the results are varied to say the least.
Yet pumpkins aren’t just a part of Hallowe’en, in countries around the world they warrant their own festival each year.
Usually held in the run-up to Hallowe’en, pumpkin festivals are a chance to celebrate this unique fruit and all its uses – from cooking and sculpting, to simply growing the biggest one possible. So, what are the best pumpkin festivals around the world?
Held in the town of Keene, New Hampshire, each year, this huge pumpkin festival is a world record-breaker.
Rather than coming to admire the handiwork of pumpkin farmers and sculptors, visitors to the Keene Pumpkin Festival are expected to bring their own pumpkin along to assist in breaking the record for the most carved pumpkins in one place.
The festival has broken the world record eight times, but lost its title in 2006 when more than 30,000 Hallowe’en pumpkins were assembled in Boston, Massachusetts.
This year’s festival is being held on October 20, and promises to be bigger and better than ever. So, if you fancy trying to break a world record and seeing a pumpkin tower taller than a building, head to New Hampshire!
Virginia Pumpkin Festival, Ireland
If you’re looking for a pumpkin festival a little closer to home, the Virginia Pumpkin Festival in Co Cavan, Ireland, is just a couple of weeks away (October 25-29).
Established in 2007, this relatively young festival was an instant success – regularly attracting thousands of visitors from across the country.
The festival started life with the traditional pumpkin competition, to find the biggest and best pumpkin in all the land, but over the years it has added new events and attractions.
It is now a festival for the whole family to enjoy, with haunted walks, fireworks, fancy dress balls and even some comedy. Of course, there is still “The biggest pumpkin competition” for you fruit-growing enthusiasts out there.
Back to the United States and the Circleville Pumpkin Show in Ohio. Thought to be the biggest pumpkin festival in the States, this four-day event attracts more than 400,000 visitors each year.
The show takes over the entire town of Circleville each year, with events such as parades, a Miss Pumpkin Show pageant, arts and crafts and, of course, the giant pumpkin weigh-in.
Kicking off on October 17, this year’s Show promises to be a typically epic event with more pumpkins than you’ll probably ever see in your life. We included it in our round up of the 5 weird and wonderful Autumn festivals in the USA.
Osterley Park Pumpkin Festival, UK
It’s not just the Americans who know how to throw a pumpkin festival though. Brits also know a thing or two about pumpkins, as the Osterley Park and House Pumpkin Festival proves.
Held each year in the stunning grounds of the National Trust’s Osterley House, this two-day event kicks off on October 27.
With spooky Hallowe’en trails for the children and pumpkin-carving festivities, the festival is a great way to get in the Hallowe’en mood. Fancy dress is, of course, encouraged.
Snohomish Festival of Pumpkins, USA
For probably the most wide-reaching pumpkin festival in the world, the county of Snohomish in Washington, USA, is the place to go.
Taking place throughout September and October, the Snohomish Festival of Pumpkins incorporates pumpkin patches, corn mazes, a beer festival and even pumpkin hurling!
Festival events can be found on farms throughout the county, creating one of the most extensive celebrations of the humble pumpkin anywhere in the world.
Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival, Germany
Germans are no strangers to a festival, and the Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival is one of the world’s largest.
Yet it is not just one of the biggest, it is also one of the most unique. More than 400,000 pumpkins are used to create huge sculptures of anything from dinosaurs to mountains.
Held in the grounds of Ludwigsburg Castle, the festival runs daily for several weeks in October and November and includes competitions, market stalls and the chance to improve your pumpkin-carving skills.
