pumpkinshow.com

pumpkinshow.com is the official website of the Circleville Pumpkin Show, an annual festival held in Circleville, Ohio. The site serves as the festival's information hub: it publishes the event dates and schedule, contest registration links, parade and pageant details, webcam feeds, photo galleries, and visitor basics such as ride ticket and wristband information. Use it when you want official details about attending, registering for a contest, or following the event remotely.

What the site covers

The homepage is organized around the festival's main activities, with navigation for Home, Pin Contest, Registrations, Schedule, Webcams, Parades, Miss Pumpkin Show, Little Miss Pumpkin Show, Largest Pumpkins, Photos, and Contact.

When the festival happens

The Show is always held the third Wednesday through Saturday in October. The site lists the next edition as October 20–23, 2027, and notes "We'll see you next year!" — confirming the 2026 edition has passed and the site is now pointing to 2027.

The site describes the scale of the event: it attracts over 400,000 visitors (about 100,000 per day) to a community of roughly 12,000 people, with 25–30 amusement rides and about 23,000 pumpkin pies and more than 100,000 pumpkin donuts sold during the Show.

Practical details for visitors

• Ride wristbands: listed at 10 AM to 4 PM for $35 per person per day, and not valid after 4 PM. Individual tickets are required after 4 PM.
• Discount ride tickets: the site advertises discount ride tickets and wristbands on sale through midnight Monday, October 19.
• Contest timing: contest and competition registration reopens in September 2027; the 2026 contest registrations were handled online through the sign-up links.
• Pin contest: designers can submit an original design for the official 2026 Circleville Pumpkin Show pin via the Pin Contest page.

Note that the site mixes references to different years — 2026 contest and pin announcements alongside 2027 dates and ride pricing — so confirm current-year specifics on the linked pages before relying on a figure.

What it is not

This is a festival information site, not a ticket marketplace or online store beyond the ride ticket and wristband offerings described. It doesn't publish a general admission price, and the available material doesn't indicate whether any parts of the site require login. For anything time-sensitive, such as exact registration deadlines or parade lineups, check the Schedule and Registrations pages directly rather than the homepage summaries.

The Circleville Pumpkin Show centers on a massive pumpkin display, roughly 25–30 amusement rides, parades and pageants, pumpkin-themed food, and judged exhibits of home arts, baked goods, and art. It runs Wednesday through Saturday of the third week of October in Circleville, Ohio — the site lists October 20–23, 2027 — and draws over 400,000 visitors (about 100,000 per day) to a community of roughly 12,000 people. Plan around the daytime ride window if you want wristbands, and expect food and display areas to be the busiest draws.

The pumpkin display

More than 100,000 pounds of pumpkins, squash, and gourds are on display. This is the signature attraction and the reason most visitors come; build your route around it rather than treating it as a side stop.

Rides and midway

The streets host 25–30 amusement rides for all ages, operated by Poor Jack Amusements. Ticket details from the site:

Wristbands are not valid after 4 PM, so if your group wants unlimited rides, arrive in the morning or early afternoon. The site shows two different wristband prices in different sections; confirm the current price before you buy. Discount ride tickets and wristbands are sold online, with a listed cutoff of midnight Monday, October 19.

Parades and pageants

The schedule includes parades and the Miss Pumpkin Show and Little Miss Pumpkin Show events. One listed parade item is the Parade of Bands featuring The Ohio University Marching 110 on Thursday at 8 PM. Contest registrations for Little Miss Pumpkin Show, baby judging, and parades are submitted online; the site notes contest and competition registration reopens in September 2027.

Pumpkin food

About 23,000 pumpkin pies and more than 100,000 pumpkin donuts are sold during the Show. These numbers tell you two things: the food is a core part of the visit, and popular items can run out or draw lines. Go early in the day for the best selection.

Exhibits and competitions

On display are home arts and crafts, baked goods, and an art show. The site offers a virtual tour of the Art Show, Baked Goods, and Home Arts competitions if you want a preview before attending. There is also a separate contest to design the official Pumpkin Show pin.

Planning notes

• Timing: Always the third Wednesday through Saturday in October. The site currently lists October 20–23, 2027.
• Crowds: With 100,000 visitors per day in a town of 12,000, parking and walking will take longer than the map suggests. Pick two or three priorities rather than trying to cover everything.
• Remote viewing: Live webcams are available on the site, useful for checking crowd levels or watching if you can't attend.
• Before you go: Verify ride prices and the parade lineup on the official schedule, since the site shows some conflicting figures and event details change by year.

Contest registration and the official pin contest are both handled online through the Circleville Pumpkin Show website, but they run on different timelines. Registrations for Little Miss Pumpkin Show, baby judging, and parades can be submitted through the site's online registration link. The 2026 pin contest accepts original design submissions, also via an online link. Note that the site's contest registration window for the next show reopens in September 2027, and the 2026 pin contest is a separate, earlier deadline tied to the 2026 Show.

Contest Registration: What You Can Sign Up For

The online registration covers three contest categories:

• Little Miss Pumpkin Show
• Baby judging
• Parades

The site states that registrations for these can "now be submitted" via the Register Online link, and the 2026 contest registrations are available online. If you are planning for the next show cycle, the site directs visitors to "come back in September 2027 to register for contests and competitions."

Steps to Register

1. Go to the official site (pumpkinshow.com) and locate the Registrations section in the navigation or the "Register Online" prompt on the homepage.
2. Follow the registration link to the online sign-up form.
3. Complete the form for your specific contest (Little Miss, baby judging, or parade entry).
4. Submit before the posted deadline for your contest year.

Expected result: Your entry is submitted online; confirm any follow-up instructions on the registration page, since the site does not list per-contest eligibility rules or fees in the available text.

Timing to Watch

• 2026 contest registrations: available online now (per the site's banner).
• Next general contest registration window: September 2027.
• The Show itself runs October 20–23, 2027 (always the third Wednesday through Saturday in October).

Official Pin Contest: Submitting a Design

The pin contest is separate from parade and judging registration. The site invites visitors to "submit your original design for the 2026 Circleville Pumpkin Show Official Pin."

Steps to Enter

1. From the homepage or the Pin Contest navigation item, open the pin contest info link.
2. Review the submission details on that page (the site points to "more info" via the link).
3. Submit your original design through the provided online entry.

Key condition: The design must be your original work, per the site's wording. The available page text does not specify format requirements, age limits, or prizes, so check the linked info page before submitting.

Quick Comparison

Common Snags

• Wrong cycle: The homepage mixes 2026 contest messaging with 2027 Show dates. Match your entry to the correct year before submitting.
• Missing details: Eligibility, deadlines, and fees are not spelled out in the site text shown; use the "more info" links on each contest page rather than assuming.
• Pin contest is not registration: Entering the pin design contest does not register you for parades or judging — these are separate forms.

For anything beyond sign-up, the site's Contact page is the listed route to reach the organization.

Discount ride tickets and wristbands are sold online through the official Circleville Pumpkin Show website, and the key restriction is timing: wristbands are valid only from 10 AM to 4 PM, and individual tickets are required after 4 PM. If you plan to ride in the evening, a wristband alone won't cover you. The site lists a per-person, per-day wristband price for the 10 AM–4 PM window and directs visitors to Poor Jack Amusements for ride details.

What the Website Says About Ride Tickets

The official site presents ride ticketing in two places, and the details differ slightly, so check both before buying:

Because the page shows two different wristband prices ($35 and $30), confirm the current price at checkout rather than assuming either figure. The site does not state whether online discount tickets are cheaper than on-site tickets, so don't count on savings without checking.

How the Wristband Window Works

The wristband model is simple but easy to misread:

1. Buy in advance. Discount ride tickets and wristbands are purchased through the website, with the listed sale ending at midnight on Monday, October 19.
2. Use it between 10 AM and 4 PM. The wristband covers unlimited rides only within that window, per person, per day.
3. Switch to individual tickets after 4 PM. The wristband stops working at 4 PM; evening rides require individual tickets.

For example, a family arriving at 2 PM can get two hours of wristband riding, but if they stay into the evening they'll need to buy individual tickets for anything after 4 PM. A family arriving at 5 PM should skip the wristband entirely.

Planning Around the Dates

The site mixes references to different years, which matters when you're buying:

• The homepage promotes October 20–23, 2027 as the next Show, always the third Wednesday through Saturday in October.
• Contest registration and pin contest notices reference 2026.
• Ride wristband information says to come back in October 2027 for ride ticket details.

If you're planning for the 2027 Show, treat the currently listed wristband prices and the October 19 deadline as the most recent published figures and re-verify them when 2027 ticket sales open. The deadline shown ("midnight Monday, October 19") aligns with the 2027 dates, since October 19 falls just before the Wednesday start.

What Else to Know Before You Go

• Crowds: The Show draws over 400,000 visitors across four days, about 100,000 per day, in a town of roughly 12,000 people. Arriving before 10 AM positions you to use a wristband for the full window.
• Rides: 25–30 amusement rides operate along the streets, run by Poor Jack Amusements.
• Food and exhibits: Expect about 23,000 pumpkin pies and 100,000+ pumpkin donuts sold, plus more than 100,000 pounds of pumpkins, squash, and gourds on display. These are separate from ride costs.
• Contests: Little Miss Pumpkin Show, baby judging, and parade registrations are submitted online; contest registration for the next cycle opens in September 2027.

Bottom Line

Buy wristbands online if you'll ride between 10 AM and 4 PM and want a flat per-person daily cost; plan on individual tickets for any evening rides. Verify the current wristband price at purchase, since the site lists both $30 and $35, and watch for the October 19 midnight deadline. For the 2027 Show, ride ticket details are expected to return to the site in October 2027.

The Circleville Pumpkin Show is held in Circleville, Ohio, always running from the third Wednesday through Saturday of October. The official site lists the next festival dates as October 20–23, 2027, and reports attendance of more than 400,000 visitors — about 100,000 per day — in a community of roughly 12,000 people. That scale is the main thing to plan around: it is a small-town festival with big-city crowds.

Dates and Location at a Glance

Because the schedule follows a calendar rule rather than a fixed date, the festival shifts each year. If you are planning beyond 2027, confirm the exact dates on the official site before booking travel.

What the Crowd Size Means for a Visit

With roughly 100,000 people per day descending on a town of 12,000, expect the streets to be packed, especially on the Saturday. A few practical implications:

• Arrive early in the day. The site lists ride wristbands as valid from 10 AM to 4 PM, so daytime hours are structured around that window.
• Plan for afternoon changes. Individual ride tickets are required after 4 PM, and wristbands are not valid after that time.
• Expect heavy demand for food. The site notes that about 23,000 pumpkin pies and more than 100,000 pumpkin donuts are sold during the Show — a sign of how busy the food areas get.

What Else Is on Site

The festival grounds include:

• Pumpkin displays — more than 100,000 pounds of pumpkins, squash, and gourds.
• Exhibits — home arts and crafts, baked goods, and an art show.
• Rides — 25–30 amusement rides for all ages.
• Parades and pageants — including Miss Pumpkin Show and Little Miss Pumpkin Show.
• Live webcams — the site offers live Pumpkin Show webcams if you want a sense of the crowd before you go.

Registration and Contest Timing

Contest registration follows its own calendar, which matters if you plan to enter rather than just attend:

• Registrations for Little Miss Pumpkin Show, baby judging, and parades can be submitted online.
• The site advises coming back in September 2027 to register for contests and competitions.
• Ride ticket information for the next event is expected in October 2027.

Bottom Line

If you want the full festival experience, target the Wednesday or Thursday of the third week of October to avoid the heaviest Saturday crowds, and plan your day around the 10 AM–4 PM wristband window. Check the official site closer to the date for confirmed schedules, contest registration openings, and ride ticket details.