Pumpkin pies, handmade crafts and the sound of live music filled Milton’s Pumpkin Park Thursday, Oct.2, as the 40th annual West Virginia Pumpkin Festival opened its gates. The four-day celebration drew thousands of visitors to the small Cabell County town for one of West Virginia’s most beloved fall traditions.
Launched in 1986, the festival has grown into one of the state’s largest seasonal events, attracting more than 48,000 people in recent years. Organizers say the festival was created to help farmers with the growing and selling of pumpkins, but it has evolved into so much more over the years.
“It really is just the best time coming here every year,” local attendee Shelby Fortner said. “So many people come, and there’s probably anything that anyone could ever want here.”
Opening day offered a great variety of festivities for everyone. Long lines formed at food stands and food trucks that served anything from pumpkin pies to Little Caesar’s pizza. People continuously browsed rows of booths featuring handmade jewelry, fall decorations and many other homemade items.
One of the biggest draws of the festival is its contests, including the bake off and both of the highly anticipated giant pumpkin weigh-offs. There are separate contests for in-state and out-of-state grown pumpkins. The first place winner for the in-state competition was Brandon McClung from Ona, West Virginia, with a pumpkin weighing 718 pounds.
Vendors were a cornerstone of the event, with dozens of small businesses and individual sellers setting up to showcase their work.
“I spend so many hours working on my stuff before coming here, and it’s just so great that so many people get to come check out my work,” small business owner Kathy Napier said. “I just love talking to everyone that stops in.”
For festival attendees, the Pumpkin Festival was a chance to connect with the local community and make new memories.
“This is my first time coming here, and I have had the best time today,” attendee Ashlyn Hilton said. “I’ve experienced so many new things and got to see things I wouldn’t have even imagined seeing. I mean, there’s a camel; I love it.”
The combination of vendors and visitors highlighted the festival’s unique role as both a community event and an economic driver. Local restaurants, hotels and shops usually report a surge in business during the festival weekend, with Milton welcoming guests from across the state and surrounding region.
Many attendees return year after year for specific traditions while others come simply for the atmosphere.
“I’m of course coming back next year,” Fortner said. “I have so much fun just walking around and looking at everything and trying all of the different food.”
Ella Hatfield can be contacted at [email protected].
