I have to confess – I’m a pumpkin fanatic.  I love pumpkin bread, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin scones, pumpkin pie, pumpkin lattes and even pumpkin pedicures.  Pumpkins are one of the more interesting fruits out there.  They can weigh anywhere from 1 pound to over 1,000 pounds each and are considered a super food with a rich source of Vitamin A and potassium.  Not to mention that you can carve them to create stunning illuminated art!

October is the peak of the pumpkin growing season.  Here are some places around the country that celebrate this event:

Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival
Oct. 14-15, 10am-5pm on Main Street
This festival, located 25 miles south of San Francisco, features gargantuan gourds, world-class pumpkin carvers, harvest-inspired crafts, live entertainment, a Pumpkin Parade, a haunted house, pie-eating, carving and costume contests. The pumpkin winning the Word Championship (pumpkin) Weigh-off will also be on display.  Hit the road early if you plan to go – this is a very popular event.

Pumpkin Festival, Keene, New Hampshire
Oct. 21, 2006  10am – 10pm
This small New England town holds the current Guinness world record for most lit jack-o-lanterns in one place – almost 29,000.  You’ll see an amazing collection of carved pumpkins at this festival.

Chicago 10th Annual Halloween Pumpkin Plaza
October 13-31
Daley Plaza becomes “Pumpkin Plaza,” with pumpkin decorating, a farmer’s market, spooky story tellers, fortune tellers,  and performances by Midnight Circus including high flying acts.

Other Pumpkin Festivals

Pumpkin festivals and Weigh-offs

Pumpkin trivia