TIP #1 // Come Hungry. The Morton Pumpkin Festival operates two food tents, and the carnival midway offers more options for snacks and dinner. At the Festival Grill tent you can enjoy pork chop sandwiches, brats, hot dogs, pumpkin chili, pumpkin pasta salad as well as our Wing Wednesday special. This year there will be a limited quantity of baked potatoes each night. To satisfy your sweet tooth visit the Festival Sweet Shop for pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin pie and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin doughnuts and other sweet pumpkin treats.
TIP #2 // Wear Your Walking Shoes. The Festival covers a lot of ground and the Art and Craft Market is now a mere quarter mile away from the grounds at Birchwood Park. Follow the walking path through the neighborhood off Main St. to reach the Art and Craft Market.
TIP #3 // Get Carnival Tickets. You can buy carnival tickets in advance for use on Wednesday and Thursday at local Morton businesses. There’s also Wristbands available on Friday afternoon where you can ride as many rides as you like between 2:30 and 5:30 pm. There are also free fun family activities at the Family Fun Patch, located at Church Square (across from the School at 225 E. Jefferson St).
TIP #4 // Visit the Entertainment Stage. Each weekday night enjoy free, live music at 7:30 pm on the Gold’s Gym Entertainment Stage. On Saturday afternoon watch the pumpkin pie eating contest at 3 pm and local dance and theater performances the rest of the afternoon, ending with the lip sync contest at 7 pm.
TIP #5 // Set your alarm for Saturday morning. Pumpkin Pancakes start coming off the grill at 6:30 am. Enjoy breakfast and then walk through the Art and Craft Market that opens at 8 am before finding the perfect spot along Jefferson Street to view the Pumpkin Festival Parade that kicks off at 10:30 am from Jefferson and Nebraska. Don’t forget to bring a bag to collect candy and toys, handed out by many of the parade entries, and wear orange to the parade to show your pumpkin spirit!
Photo References: Morton Pumpkin Festival