(Photo By Flickr User Doug Pieper)
Each September, in celebration of the pumpkin canning season, the city of Morton, IL hosts the Morton Pumpkin Festival. 2017 will be the Festival’s 51st year. Come and celebrate with them!
History about the Morton Pumpkin Festival:
In 1967, the first Morton Pumpkin Festival was organized by the Morton Chamber of Commerce as an annual fund raiser and celebration of the beginning of the pumpkin harvest and canning season at the local Libby’s Pumpkin Plant.
In 1978, the Governor of Illinois signed a proclamation that Morton, Illinois was the “Pumpkin Capital of the World” since 85% of the world’s canned pumpkin was processed at their Libby’s Pumpkin plant.
Today, the Morton Pumpkin Festival includes over 30 special events and venues hosted and organized by over 2,000 volunteers. The festival welcomes an estimated 70,000 visitors. Each year, a theme for the festival is selected through a voting process by community members and the Morton Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
The festival is governed by the Morton Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and a Pumpkin Festival Oversight Committee that includes both Chamber Board Members, Community Leaders, and Festival Chairmen.
The 30 plus events and venues that occur during the festival are organized by Chamber Members and community volunteers. Each activity has one or several volunteer Chairmen along with volunteer team members.
In 2012, Libby’s Pumpkin became the official sponsor for the Morton Pumpkin Festival!
If you will be attending this event, here is a schedule of some of the things that will be happening during the festival:
Saturday, September 9th:
7:30-10:30 am: Pumpkin Bike Tour (self start from Morton Public Library)
9:00 am: Pumpkin Open Tennis Tournament (Joal Stanfield Tennis Complex)
1:00-4:00 pm: Photography Show entries accepted (Library)
7:00 pm: Photography Show critique (Library)
Sunday September 10th:
9:00 am: Pumpkin Open Tennis Tournament (Joal Stanfield Tennis Complex)
1:00-4:00 pm: Art Show entries accepted (Library)
1:30 pm: Soapbox Derby (Plum near Washington St.)
7:00 pm: Art Show critique (Library)
Monday, September 11th:
9:00 am-9:00 pm: Art & Photography Shows (Library)
Tuesday, September 12th:
9:00 am-9:00 pm: Art & Photography (Library)
4:00-5:30 pm: Pumpkin Weigh Off (Parking lot across from PNC on Jefferson St.)
4:30-6:00 pm: Pumpkin Decorating Contest entries accepted
6:30 pm: Big Wheel Race (Washington St. between Main & Plum)
Wednesday, September 13th:
9:00 am-9:00 pm: Art & Photography Shows (Library)
4:00-8:00 pm: Pumpkin Business Expo open
4:00-8:00 pm: Pumpkin Store open (inside Business Expo)
4:00 pm: Carnival & Midway open
4:30-9:00 pm: Pumpkin Grille open
4:30-9:30 pm: Pumpkin Sweet Shoppe Open
5:00 pm: Official Opening Ceremony (Main Stage)
5:00-9:30 pm: Entertainment (Main Stage)
6:30-7:30 pm: Pumpkin Princess Pageant (Main Stage)
7:30-8:30 pm: Pumpkin Idol Jr. (Main Stage)
Thursday, September 14th:
6:30 – 9:30 am: Pumpkin-To-Go open (Morton Plaza parking lot)
9:00 am – 9:00 pm: Art & Photography Shows (Library)
2:00-4:30 pm: Senior Appreciation Afternoon
2:00-3:30 pm: Pumpkin Bingo (Pumpkin Grille)
3:00-8:00 pm: Pumpkin Business Expo open
3:00-8:00 pm: Pumpkin Store open (inside Business Expo)
3:30-4:30 pm: Free pie & coffee for seniors (Pumpkin Grille)
3:30-9:30 pm: Entertainment (Main Stage)
4:00 pm: Carnival & Midway opens
4:00-7:00 pm: Pumpkin-To-Go open (Morton Towne Centre parking lot)
4:30-9:00 pm: Pumpkin Grille open
4:30-9:30 pm Pumpkin Sweet Shoppe open
6:00-6:30 pm: Kiddie Parade (Downtown)
Friday, September 15th:
6:30-9:30 am: Pumpkin-To-Go open (Morton Town Centre parking lot)
9:00 am-9:00 pm: Art & Photography Shows (Library)
11:00 am-1:00 pm: Pumpkin Grille open
11:00 am-1:00 pm: Pumpkin Sweet Shoppe open
11:00 am-7:00 pm: Pumpkin-To-Go Open (Morton Town Centre parking lot)
3:00 pm: Carnival & Midway opens
3:00 pm-Dusk: Pumpkin Craft Faire open (across from festival grounds on Jefferson St.)
4:00-9:00 pm: Pumpkin Store open
4:00-9:00 pm: Pumpkin Business Expo open
4:00-9:00 pm: Entertainment on Main Stage
4:30-9:00 pm: Pumpkin Grille open
4:30-9:30 pm: Pumpkin Sweet Shoppe open
5:00-7:00 pm: Pumpkin Classic packet pick up (Lincoln Elementary School)
Saturday, September 16th:
6:30-10:00 am: Entertainment (Main Stage)
6:30-10:30 am: Pumpkin Pancake Breakfast (Pumpkin Grille)
7:30 am: Pumpkin Classic 10K/2Mile run/walk begins
8:00 am-6:00 pm: Pumpkin Craft Faire open (across from Festival Grounds on Jefferson St.)
10:30 am: Pumpkin Festival Parade begins
11:00 am-7:00 pm: Pumpkin-To-Go open (Morton Town Centre parking lot)
Noon: Carnival & Midway opens
Noon-6:00 pm: Peoria PlayHouse Children’s Musem
Noon-8:00 pm Pumpkin Business Expo open
Noon-8:00 pm: Pumpkin Store open (inside Business Expo)
Noon-9:00 pm Pumpkin Grille open
Noon-9:00 pm Pumpkin Sweet Shoppe Open
12:30-9:00 pm: Entertainment (Main Stage)
1:00-4:00 pm: Art & Photography Shows (Library)
3:00-4:00 pm: Pie Eating Competition (Main Stage)
4:00-4:30 pm: LIBBY’S Pumpkin Recipe Challenge Winner (Main Stage)
9:00 pm: Festival Closes
To get more information on the Morton Pumpkin Festival, give the Morton Chamber Of Commerce a call at 309-263-2491 or go online to www.mortonpumpkinfestival.org!
