Morton Pumpkin Festival

Illinoisans looking for fall festivities should put Morton’s biggest pumpkin party on the calendar. The Pumpkin Capital of the World, located in Tazewell County, delivers pumpkin-infused food and fun at the annual Morton Pumpkin Festival. The event takes place Sept. 16-19, 2015.

In this Central Illinois village, pumpkin becomes the star ingredient in just about anything edible: donuts, ice cream, chili and, of course, pie.

Besides the good eats, attendees can enjoy the carnival, Pumpkin Classic Run & Walk, a parade and a performance by a New Orleans band. Throughout the event, visitors can locate kid-friendly activities. They can browse more than 150 crafters at the Pumpkin Craft Faire. And the festival hosts competitions worth watching, such as a pie-eating contest and a pumpkin weigh-off. The 2014 winning pumpkin tipped the scale at a whopping 1,056 pounds.

The September festival celebrates the beginning of the local pumpkin harvest, including for the Morton-based Nestle Libby’s Pumpkin Plant. The Morton Chamber of Commerce expects about 70,000 people to attend the 49th annual festival. Learn more at mortonpumpkinfestival.org.

Photo via Morton Pumpkin Festival on Facebook

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