Toronto 
One of Ontario’s famous fall festivals, Port Elgin Pumpkinfest, is returning this weekend for its 41st edition.
Port Elgin Pumpkinfest
A pumpkin weighing close to 2,000 pounds is difficult to appreciate until you are standing beside it. That spectacle is a compelling reason to visit Port Elgin Pumpkinfest, taking over downtown Port Elgin on October 3 and 4, 2026.
The festival traces its roots to 1986, when the inaugural “Great Pumpkin Event” featured pumpkins weighing up to 250 pounds. It later became an official World Pumpkin Confederation (WPC) Weigh-Off site in Ontario.
Today, Port Elgin Pumpkinfest is renowned for two Giant Vegetable Weigh-Offs, where growers bring enormous produce to the scales in Giant Pumpkin Commonwealth-sanctioned competitions, aiming for records and valuable points.
The Canadian record stands at 2,006.5 pounds, set at the Woodbridge Fair in 2021. Port Elgin’s record was set in 2024 by Jeff Warner, whose pumpkin weighed 1,966.5 pounds.
But giant vegetables are only part of the weekend. Pumpkinfest also fills downtown with classic cars, family activities, entertainment, food and shopping.
What should you make time for?
Start with the weigh-off. It is one of Pumpkinfest’s defining attractions, with growers bringing enormous pumpkins and other giant vegetables to the scales in separate official competitions on Saturday and Sunday.
Then head downtown for the OLG Cinderella’s Carriage Car Show, open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. As of late September, more than 460 vehicles were registered for 2026, ranging from vintage cars and pickups to Corvettes and British classics.
Families can fill the rest of the day with the midway, Kiddie Karnival, Happy Acre farm animals, entertainment and pumpkin activities. Saturday’s featured family performer is Canadian juggling champion Bob Cates, while a new master pumpkin-carving demonstration by Zachary Flavelle lets visitors watch an elaborate pumpkin take shape rather than simply admire the finished product.
Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. is designated Quiet Time at the midway, when flashing lights and noise are reduced.
What’s new at Pumpkinfest in 2026?
The weekend now starts a day earlier with the inaugural Pumpkin Bowl on Friday, October 2. KDSS and SDSS will play a high-school rivalry football game under the lights at SDSS Football Field, with kickoff at 7 p.m., a halftime show and the first Pumpkin Bowl Trophy. Tickets are $5 for students and families and $10 general admission.
Also new are the Game Asylum Trailer, a giant block-building area and a master pumpkin-carving demonstration on Saturday.
Adults staying overnight can also use Friday’s free Pub-Kin Crawl shuttle between participating Port Elgin and Southampton restaurants and bars from 6 p.m. to midnight. Saturday night’s age-of-majority Party in the Patch features Good Enough Live Karaoke, Grey Road 1 and Jokers and Queens.
How much time should you allow?
Port Elgin Pumpkinfest
This is better treated as a half-day or full-day outing than a quick pumpkin stop. The weigh-off, car show and family attractions are spread across the festival area, and parking is off-site.
Families with young children have enough programming to build most of a day around Pumpkinfest. Car enthusiasts and visitors primarily interested in seeing the giant vegetables can be more selective.
What can you eat and shop for?
You do not necessarily need to leave the festival for lunch. The confirmed 2026 vendor lineup includes Chungchun Korean rice dogs, Bread Heads Wood Fired Pizza, The Poutine Supreme, Best Fajita in Town and Get & Go Grill. For festival snacks and sweets, choices include funnel cakes, kettle corn, lemonade, tarts and Sweet Seasons.
The Artisan Craft Show moves inside the Port Elgin Legion this year, making it a useful indoor stop if October weather turns chilly or wet.
The broader vendor market mixes food products with handmade and specialty goods. Confirmed exhibitors include Southampton Olive Oil Company, Bayfield Berry Farm, Muskoka Lavender, Nicole Marie Pottery Studio, jewellery makers, woodworkers, authors, candles and other crafts.
For adults arriving Friday, food can become part of the weekend rather than simply a festival stop. The Pub-Kin Crawl runs between participating restaurants and bars in Port Elgin and Southampton from 6 p.m. to midnight, with a complimentary shuttle connecting the two downtowns. Participating businesses are planning food, entertainment, specials and harvest-themed offerings.
Trip Planning – Port Elgin Pumpkinfest 2026:
When: Saturday, October 3, 2026 | 9am to 6pm
Sunday, October 4, 2026 | 10am to 4pm
Car Show: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Midway: 5-10pm on Friday October 2, and 3 until 10pm. on October 3.
How Much: Adults $12; seniors 55+ and children 4 to 12 $8; children 3 and under free; family pass $35 for two adults and two children/seniors.
Advance weekend wristbands are $10 for adults and $30 for a family pass.
$40 for all you can ride between 5-10pm for Modway
Where: Various Locations, Port Elgin Downtown
Credit: Port Elgin Pumpkinfest
Parking: There is no public parking at Pumpkinfest Village. Follow festival signs to designated parking areas. Parking is available in designated areas in Port Elgin and Southampton and at the Town Hall on the corner of Hwy 21 & High Street.
Accessible parking is available near the Gustavus Street gate for visitors with a permit.
Shuttle:
Free shuttle buses run approximately every 20 minutes during festival hours from designated stops in Port Elgin and Southampton.
- Southampton Market
- Across from Southampton Town Hall Parking Area
- Holiday Park Campground (Southampton)
- Kenorous Campground (Highway 21)
- The Plex – Pumpkinfest North parking area
- Port Elgin Main Beach Parking Area – Pumpkinfest West parking area
- Giant Tiger Parking Area – Pumpkinfest South parking area
- Pumpkinfest Village – no public parking at Pumpkinfest Village
Service dogs are permitted on shuttle buses; other dogs are not.
