When the Circleville Pumpkin Show was started in 1903 by then-mayor George Haswell, it was a one-day affair held on three blocks with no parades.
The entertainment of those early days ranged from high-wire and high-diving acts, flagpole sitters and fire eaters to wrestling shows, “freaks,” curiosities and magic acts.
Today, the event runs four days, during which seven parades take place and nine blocks are filled with food booths, games, vendors, rides, craft demonstrations, pumpkins and every pumpkin-adjacent food you can imagine.
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Entertainment options occupy seven stages and run more toward live music, competitions like pie eating, egg tossing and the Big Wheel race and craft demonstrations, among other activities.
Billed as “The Greatest Free Show on Earth,” the Circleville Pumpkin Show, which takes place this week, is known far beyond the confines of its small-town setting. The event has been featured on “NBC Today” and in Japanese shows and magazines, German newspapers, The New York Times, Stars and Stripes, National Geographic and other publications.
Attendees hail not only from Ohio, but 30-plus other states and more than a dozen countries, according to event organizers, who expect about 400,000 people to turn out over the course of the show.
If you’re planning to be among those partaking of all things pumpkin, then we have some details below that will be helpful to know if you go.
When does the Circleville Pumpkin Show begin?
A preview night will be from 5-10 p.m. Tuesday, with rides and concessions, live music, line dancing and the judging of the decorated golf cart contest.
The official opening ceremony will be at 9 a.m. Wednesday at Court and Main streets. The festivities continue through Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m. each day.
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Will there be lots of rides? How much do they cost?
There are typically 25-30 rides for attendees of all ages.
Presales of ride tickets and wristbands last until 11:59 p.m. Monday. Save $5 by purchasing 20 tickets online for $20 (plus $1.99 fee) or buy an all-day wristband online for $24.99 per person. Wristbands will be $30 at the show.
When is the giant pumpkin weigh-in?
The gargantuan gourds will be hoisted onto scales at approximately 9:15 a.m. Wednesday. The Nancy Martin Prettiest Pumpkin Award also will be handed out.
What kind of pumpkin food will be sold?
There will be all kinds of gourdy goodness including pizza, buckeyes, waffles, burgers, ice cream, chili, doughnuts, coney dogs, elephant ears, cheesecake, cotton candy, brownies, taffy, fudge, shredded chicken, coffee, caramel and kettle corn, bubble tea, pierogis and bratwursts — all made with pumpkin.
Of course, there will be pumpkin pie! Show organizers estimate that approximately 23,000 pumpkin pies are sold during the four-day show.
And for gawking purposes, Lindsey’s Bakery prepares a mammoth pumpkin pie each year — 6 feet in diameter and weighing more than 400 pounds — and displays it in the window of the bakery at 127 W. Main St.
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When will the parades be?
Wednesday will bring the Little Miss Pumpkin Show parade at 3:30 p.m. and the Miss Pumpkin Show parade at 8 p.m. On Thursday, the baby parade will toddle off at 3:30 p.m. and the Ohio University Marching 110 will be spotlighted in the Parade of Bands at 8 p.m.
Friday’s parades will feature pets at 3:30 p.m. and fraternal and civic organizations at 8 p.m. Last, but not least, the Ohio Festivals and Events Association Queen’s Parade will be at 8 p.m. Saturday.
All parades will take the same route: Starting on East Franklin Street at Pickaway Street, each procession will go west to Scioto Street, north to Pinckney Street, east to Court Street and south to Main Street, where it will continue east back to Pickaway Street.
What is the parking situation?
There is free parking on the streets around town if you can find it. Local youth groups, churches and individuals have parking in their private parking lots, at Ted Lewis Park and in backyards, for which you pay. Most are around $10 for a spot for the day.
To spare you the hassle of finding a place to park, there will be a shuttle service from AMVETS, 818 Tarlton Road. Park for free and pay a small fee to ride the shuttle. The shuttle runs from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and drops riders off and picks them up at the show. The Ohio Christian University baseball team also will offer shuttle service with similar hours from their parking lot on U.S. Route 22, east of Circleville, for a small charge.
Disability-accessible parking will be on Western Avenue (enter from High Street) at the western edge of the show and is first-come, first-served.
Will there be street closures?
Yes, and there will be detour signs to direct drivers. The following streets will be closed during Circleville Pumpkin Show hours:
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Main Street from Western Avenue to Washington Street
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Court Street from High Street to Mound Street
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Franklin Street from Scioto Street to Washington Street
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Scioto Street from High Street to Mound Street
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Pickaway Street from High Street to Mound Street
Where can I find out more information?
For a map of the grounds, schedules and other details, visit pumpkinshow.com.
bpaschal@dispatch.com
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: What to know if you go to the Circleville Pumpkin Show on Oct. 16-19
