Marvel at 1,800-Pound-Plus Pumpkins at This Only-in-Ohio Fall Festival

Here in Ohio, we don't just celebrate fall. We Celebrate Fall. We go big. Huge. Like, 1,800-pound pumpkin huge. Each fall, the Circleville Pumpkin Show puts on the greatest fall festival in the country, inviting fall fans from far and wide to ogle massive pumpkins, enjoy award-winning pumpkin pie, and engage in the most epic fall shenanigans imaginable. This is the fall festival to end all fall festivals, and it happens right here, in the heart of Ohio. This year, the Circleville Pumpkin Show will take place Wednesday, October 15, through Saturday, October 18, 2025. So, be sure to save the dates and mark your calendars, because you won't want to miss all this fall festival in Ohio has to offer.

You know those so-called "pumpkin" festivals in other counties and states? The Circleville Pumpkin Show puts them to shame. Because really, can you even call yourself a "pumpkin festival" if you don't need heavy machinery to transport your pumpkins?

If a pumpkin festival can't lay claim to having the largest pumpkin pie in the world, what is there to celebrate? The one fall festival that can make all of these bold claims—and more—is the Circleville Pumpkin Show, the only-in-Ohio fall festival to end all fall festivals. Each year, the streets of this charming community are transformed into the ultimate pumpkin playground, complete with 1,800-pound gourds, city-wide parades, epic contests, and pumpkin-spiced everything.

Yes, this fall festival has an assortment of pumpkin pies and pumpkin-spiced donuts, but those are expected. What about pumpkin burgers, pumpkin sloppy joes, pumpkin pizzas, and pumpkin chili? Now we're talking. Other pumpkin-themed festivities at this fall festival include a curated art exhibit that's also an homage to the beloved orange gourd, as well as thrilling rides and entertaining games.

Plus, you'll find competitions like pie-baking throwdowns and pumpkin-carving contests that will make your own jack-o'-lantern creations feel, well... a bit amateur. We certainly don't have the kind of talent that the artists who show up in Circleville possess.

Everything about the Circleville Pumpkin Show celebrates autumn's most winsome fall icon. Texas might be known for "going big," but there's neither a bigger nor a better fall festival than the Circleville Pumpkin Show in Ohio.

Have you experienced this larger-than-life Ohio fall festival in years past? The only downside we see is that, once you've been to the Circleville Pumpkin Show, you'll be spoiled for life. Are you looking for more fall festivals in Ohio to add to your list? We adore Fall on the Farm at Blooms and Berries as well. Do you have a go-to autumn celebration in the Buckeye State? We'd love to hear all about your favorite fall festivals. Be sure to tell us about them on our nomination page.

Feeling inspired? Try planning your own fall adventure in Ohio using Only In Your State’s itinerary planner.