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.