Get In The Fall Mood At A Festival In ‘The Pumpkin Capital Of The World’

The 58th annual Morton Pumpkin Festival will run from September 11 to 14 in Morton, Illinois. The small village is the self-proclaimed “Pumpkin Capital of the World” and where 85% of the globe’s canned pumpkin is packaged.

Reasons you’ll want to visit the Morton Pumpkin Festival are aplenty. The free festival will kick off its first evening with opening ceremonies and a pumpkin princess pageant. In the following days, there will be a pumpkin donut drive-thru, a 10K, and a craft market . There will also be live entertainment, pumpkin decorating, competitions, carnival rides, parades, and lots of food vendors.

This year’s festival theme is Pumpkins Run for the Roses. Courier Newspapers, a collection of local publications serving Central Illinois, claims that the concept revolves around blending “southern charm and vibrant festivities.”

The fall festival also has a focus on celebrating and uplifting its local community. Notably, all proceeds from purchases at the Pumpkin Store will go toward families in need.

Carnival rides will be available to old and young riders. Tickets to ride are $4 each, or $37 for 10. The festival’s website notes that coasters are either 1 or 2 tickets each. There will also be carnival games and classic snacks like funnel cake and corn dogs. Doors to the festival will open at 4 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, 2:30 p.m. on Friday, and noon on Saturday.

What Else Is There To Do In Morton, Illinois?

The Morton Pumpkin Festival is a great mini-experience for nearby travelers in the Midwest who can take a road trip . Driving-wise, the small village is two and a half hours from Chicago and three from Indianapolis. In 2022, Morton had a population of less than 20,000. The small village promises a homey, quaint charm and nearby scenic escapes .

Nearby things to do that are equally wholesome to the annual pumpkin festival are the petting zoo and corn maze at Ackerman Family Farms, or heading to Wildlife Prairie Park. If staying the weekend with little ones, consider going to the Children’s Discovery Museum.

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