Morton Pumpkin Festival

The Morton Pumpkin Festival is annual four-day festival organized and sponsored by the Morton Chamber of Commerce held in mid-September. The Morton Pumpkin Festival was first held in Morton, Illinois in 1967. The event now draws more than 75,000 attendees annually.

In 1978, Governor James R. Thompson declared Morton the “Pumpkin Capital of the World.”

Morton's title of "Pumpkin Capital of the World" is tied to the presence of Nestle's Libby pumpkin plant, which processes more than 80 percent of the world's canned pumpkin.

Each year, the Morton Chamber of Commerce selects a special theme for the Morton Pumpkin Festival. Festival themes are voted on by the general public while taking the annual Pumpkin Festival Survey in September. The top festival theme choices are then taken to the Pumpkin Festival Oversight Committee and the Morton Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors for the final selection. Themes are announced in January during the Morton Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner.

Many of the Pumpkin Festival events and activities including the Parades, Pageants, Entertainment, Competitions, and Opening Ceremonies incorporate costumes, music, and other elements in celebration of the annual theme.

1973 Cinderella Land 1974 Nature’s Harvest 1975 Seeds of Freedom 1976 Freedom’s Harvest 1977 Centennial’s Pumpkin 1978 Happiness is… 1979 It’s a Pumpkin World 1980 Pumpkin Country Round Up 1981 Pumpkin Patch Patriotism 1982 Pumpkin Harvest Harmony 1983 Old Fashioned Pumpkin Picnic 1984 Pumpkin City Fantasy 1985 The Great Pumpkin Circus 1986 Pumpkin Festival Memories, 20 Years of Celebration 1987 Pumpkins Go Hollywood 1988 Pumpkins Go for the Gold 1989 Pumpkins Around the World 1990 We’re Off To See the Pumpkins 1991 Pumpkin Festival XXV 1992 Fairytales on Parade 1993 Pumpkin Paradise 1994 Pumpkin Fiesta 1995 Pumpkin Wonderland 1996 30th Annual Pumpkin Party 1997 Planet Pumpkin 1998 Pumpkins go Prehistoric 1999 Pumpkins Rockin’ & Rollin’ 2000 Pumpkins on the Job 2001 A Pumpkin Odyssey 2002 Red, White & Blue in 2002 2003 Pumpkin Safari 2004 Pumpkins Under the Sea 2005 Great Pumpkins in History 2006 40th Pumpkin Birthday Party 2007 Pumpkins Go Hawaiian 2008 Superhero Pumpkins 2009 Christmas in the Pumpkin Patch 2010 Pumpkin Splash 2011 Pumpkins Across America 2012 Peace, Love, and Pumpkins 2013 Pumpkin Carnivale 2014 Pumpkins of the West 2015 Pumpkins of the Caribbean

Many attendees of the festival come just for the food, especially the pumpkin flavored food. Beyond the usual fair/carnival favorites and pumpkin pie, some of the other items include pumpkin chili, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin doughnuts, pumpkin caramel shake, pumpkin ice cream and pumpkin fudge.

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