Pumpkin Show, Circleville, Ohio

Have you ever seen 100,000 pounds of pumpkins, gourds and squash on the street? You can on October 20-23 in Circleville, Ohio, about 30 minutes south of Columbus. The show attracts 400,000 people over the 4 days (100,000 a day) in a town that has a population of 12,000.

I went to college in Circleville (Ohio Christian University) and attended the Pumpkin Show every year. Believe me, the crowd is like a Hub Mob!

23,000 pumpkin pies and 100,000 pumpkin donuts are sold every year. There are over 300 food booths, games and craft vendors and over 30 amusement rides. More than 40 floats and 50 bands participate in the 7 parades, each with a different theme.

The first Pumpkin Show was started in 1903, by George Haswell, the mayor of Circleville at that time. He wanted to get the city folk and the country folk together, so he invited the country folk to bring the best of their produce and display it on the street so that the city folk would appreciate their efforts. The first show was for 2 days and the first parade was in 1905.

Lindsey's Bakery bakes a huge pumpkin pie each year.

100th Anniversary Pumpkin Pie:

14 feet in diameter
360 pounds of sugar
795 pounds of pumpkin
60 lbs. of powered milk
60 dozen eggs
75 gallons of water
400 lbs. of flour
15 people to mix
10 hours to bake

Every year, a "Miss Pumpkin Show" is crowned and leads the Miss Pumpkin Show Parade.

(From Left to Right)
1st Attendant Ali Pillow
Queen Tracie Messer
2nd Attendant Kristen Bennett

(From Left to Right)
1st Attendant Carlee Reed
Queen Laynee Hill
2nd Attendant Grace Engel

2009 Pumpkin Winners

Pumpkin Show Record

1,635.5 lbs. - Dr. Bob Liggett

You can try pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin fudge, pumpkin donuts, pumpkin burgers, pumpkin pizza, pumpkin chili, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cream puffs, pumpkin blossoms, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin bread and pumpkin butter.

I think you will be all "pumpkined" out!