I'd rate it a solid 3.5 but for the sake of the stars, I'm giving it a 4 - especially for a free fair! Friday around noon was so busy, but it was expected since the weather was gorgeous. There are mostly good vendors above all else, but it's also the best blooming onion (and I look forward to it every year!) We park for free and walk a bit of a distance. I love seeing the homes decorated for Halloween! We don't ride fair rides, but we do live to people watch and, this year, we caught the pet parade which was really great! So much bigger than I ever expected and some very sweet pets in adorable costumes!! Love trying the different treats. Though it's not homemade, I got a pumpkin roll from the Shriners booth and it was pretty tasty and for a good cause. Also purchased some homemade buckeyes from a church group that were awesome. Always love seeing the giant pumpkins, too! I do wish they had more local vendors for buying gifts. The vendors are mainly cheap mass produced junk shop goods (and a lot of gross political things.) Just not my vibe at all. I still think it's worth a visit though! It's well run and a great way to get into the spooky season! read more

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It's okay now it is way more food vendors than anything it's not a lot of pumpkin exhibitions and it's not a lot of other things going on you will find small places of people singing and things like that but if you like carnival food this is the place for you to be read more

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Always have so much fun at this pumpkin show. There is a lot going on here and anyone nearby should attend this at least once. Cannot wait for next year! read more

After hearing about this for YEARS I made a last minute decision on Friday night to take the trip down to Circleville and see these giant pumpkins for myself. Now, I will say I wish I went on a weekday/afternoon because it was PACKED. So I'll try that next year and if you can, I would too. I was suprised with how quickly traffic was flowing off the exit ramp and we were quickly funneled into an area with $10 parking (bring cash!). I thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the different types of pumpkins, a lot of which I had never heard of or seen! At the end of the night I saw gray pumpkins from afar, saw the "Everything is For sale" sign and asked the man at the stand how much, thinking it was going to be ridiculous because they were well sized, specialty pumpkins. I've never been so happy to be wrong in my life they were 5 bucks a piece!!!! That is cheaper than your run of the mill pumpkin, so I might be using this as my new pumpkin patch!! Outside of looking at the pumpkins, the vendors themselves aren't super exciting. Lots of stereotypical fair food, with pumpkin thrown in. A lot of the vendors were MLMs/super political/not something unique. So if you are coming from afar, it might not be worth it if you're coming to shop. If you want to look at pumpkins/watch a parade/ take insta-worthy pictures, this is probably your forte. My main negative was the man working the fry stand I visited was one of the most unhelpful people I've met and was out of forks, spoons, straws, soda, etc and didn't tell me until I had already paid, so I will be avoiding him next year. Plus the lady in the stand gave me a dirty look while I was getting my napkins so if you encounter them next year, head on over to the next fry stand. read more

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It was a wonderful experience visiting the pumpkin show. The place was beautiful decorated and was colorful all around. It had the best fall vibes. There were a lot of fun activities for kids. Tons of food options available. There were a lot of stalls to shop from and many Interesting products available. I learnt about lot of amazing business that are local to Ohio and got an opportunity to try out few samples. Good place to visit with friends and family. read more

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Do you love pumpkins, crowds, food, small-town Americana charm, and rides? You should go. But if you don't like the crowd part of all that, you should definitely not go on a Friday or Saturday. We were there at 10 AM right when it opened on Friday. It was not too bad for the first hour and then it just got increasingly uncomfortably crowded and we had to peace out. I did bring the stroller and I was glad I did, because it's a lot of walking for a four year old and it gave me a place to throw my bag and some bottled water. We did find parking on Main Street, a few blocks south of the festival so that was a nice snag that early in the day. (I know, I know, I know......it's some sort of crime to call it a "festival" instead of a "show", but I really don't see what makes it NOT a festival.) There are indeed some giant pumpkins on display. It's kind of amazing how gigantic they are. And if you ever imagined any sort of food you like, it's probably there and it's probably pumpkin-flavored. I tried the pumpkin soft serve ice cream (good) and the pumpkin chili (meh). The chili was seven bucks for a styrophome bowl and it was just okay. We also had some cotton candy (not pumpkin) and fried Swiss cheese on a stick (not pumpkin either), which I was excited about because I missed that vendor when I saw them at the Swiss Fest in Amish Country. As it turned out, I hadn't missed much because it was expensive and it was way too salty and not as good as I had dreamed it would be. Anyhow....I think there were other things I wanted to try, but at that point there were simply too many people and I was getting anxious in the crowds. My son wanted to go on rides, so he rode the carousel and the magic bus ride for kiddos and together we road the big Ferris wheel. It was a little scary, it wobbled as we went around and the weight didn't feel balanced because he insisted on sitting on my lap with no one to balance out the other side. But you do get some really cool views. The vibe there is probably much better on a weekday morning before it gets crazy. Would I do it again? Maybe. But my strategy would probably be different. read more

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The Circleville pumpkin show is something you have to go to once to see what it's all about. My favorite part was looking at all the massive pumpkins locals grew and they had on for display. It is also the largest fall event near Columbus. The parking is on the grass of local neighbors for $5-10. All the fair vibes are there with plenty of vendor food and carnival rides. Unique pumpkin foods are there like pumpkin burger, pumpkin chilli, and others; however, I did not care for them. I wish they had more pumpkin based options. I had the pumpkin burger, but I think it's safe to say I will stick to regular burgers. I also had the pumpkin creme funnel cake. I was not impressed as it just had cold pumpkin pie filling (almost like the Libby's can) plopped on top of the funnel cake. I also understand that they shutdown the whole town to have this festival; however, it would be nice to have both weekend days as an option to visit. They only host from Wednesday to Saturday, which is hard for out of town visitors to attend other than Saturday when I felt it was extremely crowded, as well as a very long highway exit line for Circleville! read more

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Had a great time at my first pumpkin show and can't wait to return again next year. Three were so many good food options to choose from and I loved all the pumpkin displays. I'm looking forward to a pumpkin fried cheese stick next year. read more

Greatest Free Show in Ohio! I've been coming to this giant street fair off and on since I was a kid. It never gets old. Rides and fair food galore! Must sees are the giant record setting pumpkins some of which weigh nearly a ton. The giant pumpkin pie is also a must see. And, if you like all things pumpkin, this is the place! Pumpkin burgers, pumpkin french waffles, cider, you get the idea... Every night there is a parade with a different theme. Of particular note are the parade that features marching bands or the parade that showcases festival and fair queens and their courts. On other nights other parades have features such as civic organizations a which include the Shriners and their fun little cars, dixieland bands and such. This is real Americana at its best. read more

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I finally made it to the almighty Circleville Pumpkin Festival and I'm so glad that I did. After roughly a decade of hearing about it, my boyfriend and I made it down this year on Saturday. I was really nervous at first. I imagined crazy traffic, limited parking at high costs, and overall just too many people. However, none of that happened for us. I'm not sure if we got lucky or if that was the norm but I'm so happy it went so well. Driving from Columbus was a breeze. I very much appreciated the traffic coordinators out there making sure that cars flowed really easily. I also really appreciated the free parking spot I found about a block from the entrance. Woohoo! Pro Tip - We came around 2 in the afternoon and beat the evening rush. My favorite part of the festival was obviously checking out the enormous pumpkins. I mean, that's a given right? It was really cool to see the pumpkin carvers as well. They were so creative with how they were turning giant pumpkins into animals like an octopus. It blew my mind! My second favorite part of the festival was the craft area. There were so many cool vendors and I went home with some lovely locally made salves. Score! Lastly, who doesn't love fair food? I enjoyed some tasty pumpkin pie, hot apple cider, and some pumpkin coffee. It was a chilly fall day and the hot drinks just added to the overall experience. I will definitely back in the future. The live music was jammin' and I know my niece and nephews would love the rides. Thanks for giving me a reason to come visit this adorable little town of Circleville. read more

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Genuinely one of my favorite things to do in the central Ohio area! We've been coming here practically my whole life and I always have such a great time. I wish kids rides were kept in one area, it can be exhausting when you're trying to find rides for small kids, but that's about my only complaint. The kids always have a blast on the rides and when we come at least, most lines aren't too long. The arts and crafts building is a treat, and every year I leave wanting to pick up a quilting hobby but alas, I have yet to make the plunge. You get to see everything from cute kids projects to intricate quilts and homemade dresses. It's really cool to see the things people make for the displays. Many of the vendors sell really neat pumpkin related crafts, I usually come home with something new to decorate my home with. But to be perfectly frank, the reason I *love* coming is all of the pumpkin foods. I usually buy one of practically anything to take home. Over the years I've tried so many yummy treats, ranging from classic treats to pretty inventive snacks. Here, let me channel my inner Bubba for you: they got pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin donuts, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin funnel cakes, pumpkin waffles, pumpkin fudge, pumpkin bread, pumpkin roll, pumpkin coffee, pumpkin pork rinds, pumpkin burgers, pumpkin pizza (savory and dessert), pumpkin chili, pumpkin cream puffs and honestly probably so much more that I'm forgetting. The pumpkin cream puffs sold by Schmidt's is to die for. Like, I might literally die if I don't get one while I'm there. So come, but come early because parking can be tricky (and usually $10 in my experience). read more

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This was my first year at the circleville pumpkin show. I've been wanting to go for a while now and finally was able to make it happen! It did not disappoint. I went on Thursday night and the place was poppin'. We hit some of the rides, enjoyed some good food, and watched the parade. The food scene is all different types of fair like food trucks. I will say I thought there would be more pumpkin food options. We had the jumbo corn dogs, fresh strawberry lemonade, some fresh cut fries, a slice of pumpkin pie, and an elephant ear. All of which were very tasty! I will definitely be making the trip back next year. Main things to note is a) have cash on hand as most stands only accept cash, b) prepare for heavy traffic getting off the exit, & c) you have to pay to park. read more

Circleville Pumpkin Show - Festivals Near Me - Circleville, Ohio

As much as I wanted to love my first time here, I can't say I was impressed. It should really be called a fall festival, not a pumpkin show. The sheer amount of fair food was mind boggling. At first, I struggled to find any pumpkin related food. Thankfully, there was a stand in the center providing maps that listed all the foods with pumpkin and where to find them. The vast majority of pumpkin items were located on Main Street, so hit that street up first! I bought a pumpkin roll, cookie, brownie, ice cream, burger, and corn bread. I wasn't thrilled with the food except for the corn bread and brownie. The brownie was excellent! It was more like a moist bread with icing on top. I really wanted to try the pumpkin buckeyes, but only one stand was selling them and they were sold out by early afternoon. I think what turned me off most was the insane amount of people as well as political booths. We left around 1 and by that time, it was impossible to walk anywhere without being squished. I get that it's a small town, but some of the political sayings on the clothes for sale were a bit much. I won't be returning, but if you have young children, I would recommend checking it out at least once. There's a decent amount of rides - even ponies. If you want a good parking spot, get there very early! We had to pay $10 to park in someone's yard because everything else was taken! read more

The only word that comes to mind when I think about my experience at the Circleville Pumpkin Show: duped. I've heard about the Circleville Pumpkin Show for years, and I finally had the opportunity to go this year. I thought it would be a cute festival with local food, tons of pumpkin food, crafts... I'm thinking more of a farmers market mixed with a craft show. Nope, that's not it at all. I'll be honest - I was actually shocked by the amount of generic fair food booths. I thought I would be getting delicious, unique pumpkin food, not the same food I'd get at the county fair. I did get to try the pumpkin waffle, pumpkin cookie, and pumpkin chili. All of these things were fine - not bad, not great. I expected the pumpkin food items to be much better at a pumpkin show. It was cool to see the pumpkins for sale and the pumpkin pyramid in the middle of the festival. I was surprised to see the number of political items being sold at some of the vendors. My entire experience was very strange, and I feel like my idea of the pumpkin festival was completely off. Needless to say, I won't be back. It was not worth the drive from Columbus, 30 minute parking hassle, and the $10 we paid to park. read more

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I look forward to the pumpkin show every year! It just isn't a proper fall without going. I will say that each year I go, I'm seeing fewer and fewer actual pumpkin foods. It's all being replaced by generic fair food trucks. I still enjoy going though and we always have a good time. The past few years we've bought pumpkin seeds from the giant winning pumpkins and this year we bought some more. I've never successfully grown anything pumpkin show worthy, but It's fun to try! read more

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10/20/2018 Another fantastic visit to the Circleville Pumpkin Show. That cold crisp air, the warm sun peaking in and out of the clouds, fall is in the air and it's a perfect day to be here. I love coming here year after year, it's such a wonderful time with family. This year we tasted these wonderful items: Pumpkin Coffee Grilled cheese melt Lindsey's pumpkin doughnuts Pumpkin bubble tea Pumpkin popcorn Pumpkin pop Pumpkin pizza Bourbon chicken Buckeye cupcake from Fantasy Cupcakes Buckeyes made with Whittich's chocolate. Everything was tasty except the bourbon chicken, it wasn't as good as previous years. Today was a fantastic day and we loved every minute of it. read more

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I'm going to estimate it's been 2 decades since my last visit. So my perspective must be fresh and cleansed by now. Best Tip is to read the reviews of my friend Kevin C. He has great information from each year he attends. It helped me. Next Tip is to go with a local or frequent attender. Where to park, what to see, and what to skip, is invaluable. Pro Tip is go prepared. Bring a shoulder/cross body bag to free up your hands. Bring bottled water. Bring small snap tight containers to carry home a treat. Almost all food is served in a paper boat with no kind of lid. Concession food is sticky(wet-wipes). Bring hand sanitizer. Tuesday used to be known as "Preview Night". Now it's just everything is open and happening night. Granted it doesn't start until about 4PM, but the smaller crowd makes it easier to see much in a shorter time. Saturday is the busiest with everyone traveling in from great distances. The average parking prices were $10. Maybe that changes as the weekend approaches. Pumpkin flavor is very low on my favorites, but don't let that detour you from the other offerings. So here is what I saw. There must be 100 food concessions. Some are same vendor with multiple stands at different corners. The food is not all on one street, but on every street. While some are pumpkin specialized, a great many offered pumpkin flavor as an option. Regular attenders have mentioned price increases, but I have no basis for this. About 20+ craft vendors are in an area selling merchandise. Pumpkin carving and artwork is scattered throughout. Music performances are scheduled on what looked like 4 stages. There are some interactive activities. Parades. Amusement rides. Souvenir stands. Political booths. Information stands(although I could not find one with a vendor map). Most stop by Lindsey's Bakery for a photo of the Largest Pumpkin Pie. You'll know it by the line to get pumpkin donuts. That alone should be the "INDICATOR"! If you see a long line, then most likely that is the best/favorite item being sold. There is a scooter rental place listed on the website. Bathrooms are portable trailers with some very limited porta-potties. Many local business Bars, Taverns, Restaurants are advertising their own specials, as well as indoor bathrooms. Consider these if you just want to sit down on an actual seat. Many I saw were doing the Eat n walk, or sit on the low curb. That is why you need the shoulder bag to be able to carry, eat & walk. In summary consider what you can only get here. You can usually find a brat or elephant at any other time of the year. Even pumpkin donuts. Coming here once in a decade is enough of a refresher for me. Enjoy the festivities gourd lovers. I will be one less person in front of you, and one less parked car. read more

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The pumpkin show was not at all what I was expecting. I was thinking there would be actual pumpkins to buy and a little bit of a pumpkin patch feel. When we got there it was predominately just different food vendors and fair games. It was definitely fun but I wouldn't have drove an hour to see it again. The vendors only accept cash and the games are obviously very expensive. It was very similar to any sort of state fair that you may have been to. I was a little disappointed because there were really only a bunch of food places to visit and not much else. I do think it would be fun for a family to go with smaller children because there were a lot of games and child oriented booths. We stopped and ate some Swiss cheese on a stick, got a coffee, ate an Italian sausage, some pumpkin chili, and an elephant ear. The food was pretty hit or miss. Some of the desserts were really good and some were very subpar. I definitely think this was more for families with smaller children but still a good time. read more

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The giant pumpkins are very cool, it is true. The assortment of gourds and squash for sale: Also cool. As you'd expect, there is more than enough fried food. Sadly, there was not much pumpkin pie (The church booth with fresh baked pie did not open on time on Thursday. We waited!) There is pumpkin roll and pumpkin fudge splintered around, and food products made with pumpkin spice flavors (chili, burgers...). The oddest thing: The political booths... of any description. Necessary at a social, community festival? Probably not, but oh well. (Some of the shirts were downright Nasty and not appropriate for kids to be reading.) Nevertheless, kids seemed happy to sugar up and ride carnival rides that no doubt would take them to the edge of puking. :-) read more

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This was my first outing to the Circleville Pumpkin Show, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself! I came on the first day of the festival (which I highly recommend) and it was a good time. My friends and I walked around for about 3 hours, and we found a lot of tasty food (so many pumpkin-flavored options!) and great decorations for the holidays. read more

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Holy disappointing! I've been wanting to go to this Show for years. My mom and two aunts when years ago and loved it. The pictures they sent me were fabulous and fun-looking, so this year I jumped at the chance to go since I'm only 1.5 hours away! My sister and I went on Saturday as that was the only day we could schedule to go. My brother-in-law had worked the festival the previous two days doing caricatures and we wanted to see him too. The Pumpkin Show is free but you might have to pay for parking. We paid $5 for a "lot" about a 1/2 mile walk from the festival. There were swarms of people; a beautiful fall Saturday and I wasn't too surprised to see it busy, but man there were soooo many people. Porta-potties were able to be located and some of the business' had bathrooms for paying guests. Highlights: 1. The Ginormous pumpkins and pumpkin tower 2. The very cool pumpkin carvings (see some of my pictures) 4. A small handful of local shops (hidden by the carny food trucks). 3. The Pumpkin on the man-hole in the street Disappointments: 1. Roads and roads of "carny" food. I mean, I don't think even the State Fair has this much fair / carny food. While some of it was pumpkin-inspired, most of it was just fair food. 2. The weird flea-market junk rows. I was confused - was this a junky flea-market or a festival! I mean there were rows and rows of this stuff! 3. The lack of unique vendors / crafters / artisans. There were a handful of them, but I'm not going to a festival to shop Avon or LuLaRoe crap. I want something unique and hand-made. All in all, I felt like I was at a larger-scale street fair for fair food - not a festival or a show. The long and short of it is: If you LOVE fair-food - go to this, it will be your Mecca. If you are looking for a Pumpkin "Show" or "Festival", skip it. I won't be back. read more

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I've loved the Circleville Pumpkin Show since I was a kid. I grew up in Chillicothe and we drove up every year. Now I moved to the area and work in Circleville so I get to see the other side of things. All the work that goes into this thing! Circleville residents bleed pumpkin! They live for this and they work super hard to make it happen. Every single person in that town contributes. At least that's how it seems. It quite literally is the "greatest free show on Earth" with so much to do, see and eat. read more

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This is a really cool festival. This year was my first visit and we had a blast eating our way around the festival. The Pumpkin Show was much bigger than I anticipated but that's a good thing. As you imagine they have several different vendors/concessions that offer pumpkin related items but all the normal fair and festival goodies are there as well (hamburgers, corndogs, fries, funnel cakes, etc.) We tried to stay mostly pumpkin centric and get items special to this Fair. So on the menu covered was frozen pumpkin yogurt, deep fried pumpkin slices, pumpkin soup, and mini pumpkin donuts. But if you have time you must stand in line for the pumpkin donuts from Lindsey's Bakery! We waited about 45 minutes to get them but they were so worth it! read more

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This is most definitely an event worth going to. I say park by the railroad tracks because they only charge $5. You have tons of food options here and the pumpkin flavored items are pretty good. Take cash because not many places accept cards. The blown glass pumpkin stands are pretty neat. The people are very friendly and overall you will have a good time. They had a nice little parade that I saw there as well. I will definitely come back next year! Those smoked turkey legs were great! read more

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It's funny how you can go just about anywhere in this country and tell people your from Circleville and they don't really know UNTIL you say "they stack pumpkins in the middle of town in mid October and swarms of people from all over come to our town" and it's called THE PUMPKIN SHOW. I cannot even begin to tell you how many people from all over the country somehow know or heard about "the circleville Pumpkin show". It never ceases to amaze me how many people descend on this little town for the self proclaimed "Greatest free show on earth" . The pumpkin show even has its own website and Live "pumpkin show webcam" for those curious to see how big the crowds are. Parades in the city streets every night and too many food vendors to list all selling their own unique forms of pumpkin inspired food including pumpkin chili, pumpkin burgers and the most unique item in my opinion "PUMPKIN PIZZA"! I have never been brave enough to try the pumpkin pizza but Many do. Expect huge crowds if the weather is nice and be ready to walk as the streets are full of vendors and exhibits galore read more

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This is my little brother's favorite festival and so rain or shine I find myself there. It's become a family tradition to put on our weather ready gear and head south for pumpkin fun! The pumpkin burger (which is a sloppy joe) is a family favorite, along with pumpkin donuts. This year we tried a funnel with a huge blob of pumpkin filling - very hacky. I was excited to have the turkey leg and devoured it like it was my last meal. My brother swears Kiwanis pumpkin pie is the absolute best at the fest. He usually has two or three pieces, making him a pumpkin pie expert. It's best not to argue with him about it. The parade is super random but can be a ton of fun if you're with the right people. Parking is always very easy and the lines are short compared to other festivals, which is a plus to me. We have never waited more than 5 minutes for anything. read more

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Another great day at the Circleville Pumpkin Show! This event never disappoints. We set out to find some new pumpkin items to try today, and we ended up finding pumpkin soda at the Nazarene church's booth and a pumpkin bubble tea. The soda was ginger ale with some kind of pumpkin flavoring added but it wasn't well mixed because the beginning and end of the drink tasted completely differently. The bubble tea was fantastic and totally satisfied my desire for something new. read more

It's the thing every fall you must do to feel complete. Missing 2020 through off the rest of my season. The pumpkin Show has really become a family tradition that my family has enjoyed for many years. read more

Fun festival! It's been around for decades, too! The biggest plus in my book is the location of this town event: right smack dab in downtown Circleville - score!! I am always inthralled with the urban life, so not only do you get to see and taste pumpkin while here, you get a whiff of classic, old-town life back in the hay days of Circleville. So wonderful. Yep, if you like, even love, pumpkin, this is your utopia. All kinds of foods centered around the orange edible fruit: pumpkin burgers, pumpkin chili, pumpkin poutine, deep fried pumpkin, and of course the reigning king Pumpkin Pie. Shout out to The Pumpkin Pie Crew trailer: Best pie I've ever had! Made fresh all day. I even got two, yes two, to take home to share with family and coworkers! I'm glad I finally got the chance to experience this small-town tradition! Till next year :) read more

Coined as the "Greatest Free Show on Earth," the Circleville Pumpkin Show definitely has bragging right to being OHIO's greatest free show... the four-day festival attracts more than 400,000 attendees, making it Ohio's largest festival. It is also pumpkin the state's oldest festival. In 1903, the mayor of Circleville invited regional farmers to display their produce in town for a days, encouraging the city folk to buy local! 105 years later, people from all over Ohio trek this small town 23 miles south of Columbus to gawk at 1000 pound pumpkins, catch a glimpse of the worlds largest pumpkin pie - which measure 14 feet in diameter- or just indulge their pumpkin fantasy to the extreme. If they can pumpkinize it, they sure try! Everything from waffles, ice cream and brownies to cream puffs, fudge, and taffy. I have found the most amazing pumpkin scented candles here, which last exactly a year- forcing me to return year after year in search of my favorite candle. This year, I bought two! Artisan's stalls carry pumpkin and autumn themed jewelry, arts and crafts. Children's rides and food stalls crowd the downtown streets, while competitons and exhibitions of assorted produce take place in public buildings. Parades, entertainment and the crowning of Miss Pumpkin are just a few of the events on the extremely packed schedule. I DO love pumpkins... and I sure love a good festival... after the scorching summer heat, we're usually ready to usher in the fall. More than anything, the Circleville Pumpkin Show is a huge celebration of the harvest and a festive way to spend a warm October afternoon. The show takes place for four days (Wed through Sat) in mid- October. Entrance is free, but parking usually costs between $5 and $10 depending on how close you want to be to the city center, which is closed off. read more

Had a blast eating pumpkin pizza, pumpkin burger, pumpkin donuts and apple cider slushies! Even though it started to rain i really enjoyed walking around, buying things (im a shopper lol) and just enjoying the fall chill. Cant wait to go again next year! read more

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Circleville is a pretty unremarkable town most of the time. It's pretty quiet except for one week in October. That's when they have the festival it's famous for each year. It takes over the whole place. There's a few interesting things you should see when you go there. If you haven't been to town while the festival is going on you new to be smart about it. It's located along the main streets in the downtown area. They close off traffic to these streets so it's harder to get around if you don't know any other routes. If you get off of Route 23 at North Court Street you can get close to the festival. There's also a chance of finding free parking. If you try to find parking real close it's usually about $5 or $10 to park in someone's yard. There's a few side streets before you get real close that you can often find a spot on. A lot of parades go on at the festival. Some of them are ok but it seems many are the same. One of these is the pet parade, which is usually on Friday. This features owners with their pets. Pets are usually wearing costumes, pumpkins of course. The worst thing about the festival is that it's a small town so the festival is full of locals. It's expected there will be some redneck still bitching about Hillary. The festival other than these people is still ok because of seeing all the pumpkin food even if you wouldn't eat it. If you want to know what Circleville is like when there's something to do there, go to it. It's the only time there's any reason to go to town. The yokels are annoying but don't let it spoil it for you. read more

Circleville Pumpkin Show - Pet Parade - Festivals Near Me - Circleville, Ohio

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Somehow I missed the Pumpkin Show for, oh, 40-plus years. Living first in northern Ohio and now Columbus, with family in Chillicothe, I've been up and down 23 so many times I know every landmark, but we never stopped in Circleville. I guess we were always trying to get to Chilly, and the few times we considered stopping, the traffic was crazy and we skipped it. Today we were in Chilly for a family gathering, and had a little time on the way home. It was drizzly but not bad, and there wasn't much traffic at the exit (coming from the south, that is- I noticed quite a bit more on the north side.) We searched a bit for parking, passing up plenty of $10 places and at least one $5, before lucking into a spot on a side street. Free, and close. Don't count on that, though. The place is pretty busy. It's pretty good sized, and I was impressed by the number and variety of pumpkin food items available. Donuts and pie, of course, but also creme puffs, ice cream, burgers, bread, and more. The rain picked up so we were rushing a bit to get back to the car, but I did end up trying pumpkin chili and a pumpkin chili dog (from different vendors.) If I had had more time, I would have tried pumpkin buckeyes, and I'm kicking myself for forgetting to get black walnut taffy. The chili was good, not great- thin, not much meat or even beans, but tasty and with a definite pumpkin flavor and aroma. The chili dog had a thicker, tastier pumpkin chili, on a pretty good dog. Yes, it was crowded, but not as bad as I'd feared. We were able to walk around without too much trouble, pause under awnings when it was raining hard, get what we wanted without waiting too long, etc. There are vendors, games, the winning pumpkins on display, etc. It was a good time, and I'm glad I finally went. Now I have some idea what to expect, and know that it's worth going back on a nicer day. read more

I went down to the Circleville Pumpkin Show once again this past Saturday, and it was a pretty fun time. We always go earlier in the morning to avoid much of the traffic, but you're still going to hit about 25-40 minutes of traffic once you get to a little under a mile from the exit. It was gloomy this year, but at least it wasn't raining the whole time like last year, and it wasn't too cold either. They do have some main stages with performers, but not a whole lot, and that may just be because we got there earlier in the day. The line for the Lindsey Bake Shop was surprisingly small, and people were able to get in and out fairly quick (this was around 12-1pm), but I heard later in the day it stretched all the way down the block. If you're going to the Pumpkin Show, make sure you get a pumpkin donut from Lindsey's! There are other places that sell them, but they're not nearly as good. They also have a truck out front that sells the donuts and pies, which barely had a line at all. I'm a huge fan of all things pumpkin, and this is the place to get them. Besides donuts, I got to have a couple kinds of pumpkin chili, pumpkin buckeyes, and pumpkin bread. I had the pumpkin waffles last year, but they were a little too crispy/burnt for me. It's great checking out all of the different pumpkins, produce, and baked goods that people submitted for competition or are selling down there. A lot of the goods are being sold in bulk, so be sure to bring some home! Lastly, parking can be a pain, but I wouldn't go to the first few lots where they are charging $20, because if you take a right off the main road just past the Hardee's, you'll probably be able to find locals charging $10 to park in their yards. By the time we left, and we left fairly early close to 2 pm, the line of cars to the exit was backed up a couple of miles, so it definitely helps to get there early. I wish pumpkin season was year round, but it probably just wouldn't feel as special. I'll be back again next October. read more

Circleville Pumpkin Show - Get excited for the 2014 Pumpkin Show! - Festivals Near Me - Circleville, Ohio

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We go here pretty much every year to see the huge pumpkins. there's plenty of things to do and food options- pumpkin pies and apple cider donuts are must trys! read more

Circleville Pumpkin Show - Pumpkin tree - Festivals Near Me - Circleville, Ohio

We pay the $10 and park out car at the Park. It is about 2 blocks to where the Pumpkin Show gets started. There are so many vendors. I was looking for some Ohio Made products and found plenty... baskets, honey, maple syrup, jams, and then everything else you can think of in Pumpkin Heaven! It is crowded...but the Line at the donut shop is worth the wait!!!! There is unique food ranging from Pumpkin ice cream to pumpkin chili..... it is quite a sight!!! As if all of that is not enough....there is the evening parade. The different High School Marching Bands are my FAVORITE!!!! There is so much to see and taste...have a good time when you go!!!! read more

Circleville Pumpkin Show - Festivals Near Me - Circleville, Ohio

I go every year and I have such a blast. It's so hard to go and try something different every year, because you'll find something you'll fall in love with and want that everyone year. I love getting pumpkin doughnuts every year and I got a steak tip sandwich this year and it was delicious. Go if you can and have fun! read more

It's that time of year again....anything and everything pumpkin!!! The Circleville Pumpkin Show is one of my favorite festivals. Been going there since my kids were little and now this year my oldest son is indoctrinating his son into the world of everyone's favorite gourd. There are several places to park, the highest price I saw was $10. We parked in the fenced in lot of a small fuel depot on W. Mound St. There was a older gentleman there who was so friendly and helpful (the price was $5). We proceeded to W. Main St. We stopped at Bair Concessions french fry stand. Four sizes with prices ranging from $3 to $7 for a bucket o' fries. You can then spice your fries up with salt and vinegar or some cajun-type seasoning. Yummy. Then it's off to Madison Fish, the stand has been in the same spot on W. Mound St. since I can remember. They are based out of Lancaster. The same couple has been making fish and tenderloin sandwiches a long time. The sandwiches are all, I believe, $5. On the fish sandwich there are 2 large and one small piece of fish...fried to perfection. The only downside I have is the tartar sauce, but that's just personal preference. Final stop was Lindsey's...home of the world's largest pumpkin pie. (Can I just pull a chair up and get a 50 gal drum of whipped cream?) $2.00 for pie with whipped cream. They also have pumpkin chili from the Sertoma (very good), pumpkin burger, pumpkin fudge, pumpkin donuts, pumpkin pancakes, plus the usual carnival fair. Don't forget to check out the HUGE pumpkins. This years winner was 1,900+lbs. read more

Circleville Pumpkin Show - Fish sammich from Madison Fish Market. - Festivals Near Me - Circleville, Ohio

Born and raised in Circleville, there's only been one year of my life that I haven't found at least one day to make it down to the Pumpkin Show. And just to be clear, it's the Pumpkin SHOW, not the Pumpkin Festival or the Pumpkin Fair or any of these other names that people often call it. You have to love a town who is so passionate about their major festival that all of the local schools are off for those three days. The cell towers used to be pretty bad a few years ago (2013-2015) but for the past two years we haven't experienced any issues with AT&T service during the Show. The network stays stable, and I've been able to go online and look things up as needed with almost no noticeable difference from any other day. Many of the booths are pretty well locked into place year after year, so if you have developed your own personal favorites, like I have, you'll find them in the same place again and again. Pumpkin pies, I swear by Lindsey's as the best I've ever had, bar none, but they've gotten pretty expensive ($12/pie) and the lines are insane if you don't get there early in the day. Having said that, there is a church in town that sells pies of their own out of a trailer in front of their church; Community United Methodist Church at 121 N. Pickaway St. It's down catty corner from the old library, toward the east side of the Show. Their pies are really good too and will do in a pinch. Elk burgers can be had on Court St. just north of the corner of Pinkney and Court St. They used to be at the Savings Bank location when it was just a parking lot. There are a million bourbon chicken places there, and they all look pretty much the same, but the one everyone swears by is at the intersection of Franklin and Scioto St. You'll know where they are by the line, that often stretches into around a 30 minute wait. They're really good, noticeably better than the rest, but I haven't had it in me to wait in the line the past couple of years. If you don't want to wait in the line, the others are around 80-90% as good as the "real deal" and will get you by. I can't remember the name of the booth with the strombolis, but they're on Main St. just east of Scioto, on the north side of the street. If you're facing toward the main stage where the judging is for the Miss & Little Miss Pumpkin Show contests, just do a 180 and start walking. It's not far down, and it's on the left. Also just a little further down from this and on the opposite side of the street, you can get deep fried pumpkin pie. In the last few years there's been a deep fried cheese curd booth that's popped up and rocked my world. They're on Franklin St. directly across the street from Napa Auto Parts (formerly Circle Auto Parts). You can get either regular or spicy, or for $1 extra you can get a combo. $7 for a regular order or $10 for a family. There are a million different places to snag some deep fried cheese on a stick, but I've been going to the same place for over 10 years. They're on Court St., just north of the courthouse, on the west side of the street. You can tell them apart by the purple and yellow color scheme of the booth. They only offer mozzarella though, so if you want fried Swiss cheese, keep walking about another block and a half north and you'll see deep fried Swiss on your left. Dessert wise, I love the deep fried cookie dough & deep fried buckeyes. On Scioto Street just north of the main judges stage, on the east side of the road you can get both of these. There's also deep fried pumpkin pie on Main St just east of Scioto, on the south side of the street. read more

For my 100th review, I wanted to write about something very near and dear to me. I can think of nothing better, nothing more treasured, than my beloved Circleville Pumpkin Show. There's something special about this small town festival that makes it unlike any other, and that brings me back year after year (1). Held every year for four days beginning the third Wednesday in October, the Circleville Pumpkin Show is hometown fun at its finest. They have all your traditional small town fare like giant pumpkin growing competitions (2). There are pie eating contests and a big wheel race. But there are also hundreds of vendors selling every pumpkin food you can imagine (3). There is an art gallery that features local talent -- from kindergarten on up -- and you'd be surprised at how good some of it is. There is a Pumpkin Man on rollerblades whose infectious smile has been around as long as I can remember. There are parades ranging from typical (Miss Pumpkin Show) to quirky (pet parade) to downright impressive (float competition). There is a 6-foot wide pumpkin pie made with 15 dozen eggs. There are carnie games and rides, live music, and probably more mullets per square mile than you are comfortable with. Oh yes, and there are pumpkins. Everywhere. :) Pumpkin Show shuts down the entire town of Circleville, covering at least ten blocks. There's no admission fee, but parking is in any lot/ backyard you happen to find it so expect to pay $5-10. Remember that this festival brings in over 300,000 people each year, so consider alternate routes as you drive in. I also recommend taking plenty of cash because ATM lines are loooong and once you taste those crack (er, pumpkin) donuts you'll be right back in line for more. Can't miss: Pumpkin burgers from the DECA booth, pumpkin donuts from the little stand across from the arcade (the ones everyone waits in line for at Lindsey's don't even begin to compare), the art building, hog calling contest, the Little Miss pageant judging (so cute!!), the Saturday night parade, the craft vendors along Main Street and the knockoff vendors behind Scioto and Franklin. This is what I consider to be my favorite HOLIDAY of the year -- and no, it has nothing whatsoever to do with Halloween. :) .,' .''.' .' .' _.ood0Pp._ ,' `.~ .q?00doo?bb._ .od00Pd0000Pdb._. . _:db?000b?000b?bo .?000Pd0000Pd0000PdbMb?0000b?000b?0000b. .d0000Pd0000Pd0000Pd0000b?0000b?000b?0000b. d0000Pd0000Pd00000Pd0000b?00000b?0000b?000b. 00000Pd0000Pd0000Pd00000b?00000b?0000b?0000b ?0000b?0000b?0000b?00000Pd00000Pd0000Pd0000P ?0000b?0000b?0000b?00000Pd00000Pd0000Pd000P `?0000b?0000b?0000b?0000Pd0000Pd0000Pd000P' `?000b?0000b?000b?0000Pd000Pd0000Pd000P `~?00b?000b?000b?000Pd00Pd000Pd00P' `~?0b?0b?000b?0Pd0Pd000PdP~' __________________________________________________________ 1. I've only missed it twice in my life. Last year I even scheduled a conference in Columbus so I could justify flying back for it. 2. The 2009 prize pumpkin was 1,635.5 lbs... just take a moment to think about that. 3. If you ask me what sort of pumpkin foods are sold here, I will start to sound like Bubba from Forrest Gump. A few from the pshow website: pumpkin pies, pumpkin donuts, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin burgers, pumpkin taffy, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin cake, pumpkin soups, pumpkin waffles, pumpkin cream puffs, pumpkin fudge, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin milkshakes, and many other concoctions that can be made with pumpkin. read more

Circleville Pumpkin Show - Greatest Free Show on Earth! - Festivals Near Me - Circleville, Ohio