Morton Pumpkin Festival
morton pumpkin festival annual fourday festival held midseptember morton illinois since event draw attendee annually organized sponsored morton chamber commerce first morton pumpkin festival organized fundraiser celebration annual pumpkin harvest local libby plant plant constructed dickinson canning company purchased libby nearby eureka illinois claimed title pumpkin capital world due canning factory consolidated morton operation late purchased nestlé eureka held annual pumpking festival governor james r thompson declared morton “pumpkin capital world” morton title pumpkin capital world tied presence nestléowned libby pumpkin processing plant process percent world canned pumpkin libby became official sponsor event libby exclusive brand pumpkin dickinson select acre ha planted morton farmland according nestlé libby’s dickinson select pumpkin grown exclusively rich farmland around morton illinois dickinson cultivar delicious taste creamy texture pleasing orange color look like traditional pumpkin used carving jackolanterns state representative keith sommer morton cosponsored bill make pumpkin pie official state pie illinois virtual event held many physical one scrapped covid pandemic year morton chamber commerce selects special theme morton pumpkin festival festival theme voted general public taking annual pumpkin festival survey september top festival theme choice taken pumpkin festival oversight committee morton chamber commerce board director final selection theme announced january february morton chamber commerce annual meet many pumpkin festival event activity including parade pageant entertainment competition opening ceremony incorporate costume music element celebration annual theme theme cinderella land nature harvest seed freedom freedom harvest centennial pumpkin happiness pumpkin world pumpkin country round pumpkin patch patriotism pumpkin harvest harmony old fashioned pumpkin picnic pumpkin city fantasy great pumpkin circus pumpkin festival memory year celebration pumpkin go hollywood pumpkin go gold pumpkin around world we’re see pumpkin pumpkin festival xxv fairytale parade pumpkin paradise pumpkin fiesta pumpkin wonderland th annual pumpkin party planet pumpkin pumpkin go prehistoric pumpkin rockin’ rollin’ pumpkin job pumpkin odyssey red white blue pumpkin safari pumpkin sea great pumpkin history th pumpkin birthday party pumpkin go hawaiian superhero pumpkin christmas pumpkin patch pumpkin splash pumpkin across america peace love pumpkin pumpkin carnivale pumpkin west pumpkin caribbean golden pumpkin celebration year da pumpkin smore pumpkin luck pumpkin roaring pumpkin jazz pumpkin tailgate tradition pumpkin go farmin pumpkin pumpkin run rose many attendee festival come food especially pumpkin flavored food beyond usual faircarnival favorite pumpkin pie item include pumpkin chili pumpkin cooky pumpkin doughnut pumpkin ice cream pumpkin baked bean pumpkin jambalaya pumpkin pasta salad marquee foodrelated event typically happens saturday morning pumpkin festival saturday morning showcase allyoucaneat pumpkin pancake breakfast free pumpkin pie offered early festival libby festival pie several organization responsible making pie year including kitchen made pie company peoria sullivan food woman first mennonite church field cooking school tazewell county resource center pork chop bbq introduced sold pork chop amount doubled next year bill wilson chamber commerce president introduced pumpkin pancake sold estimated pancake pumpkin cooky sold pumpkin chili pumpkin ice cream joined menu thompson food basket created giant pumpkin bar measured ft long ft wide weighed lb could feed people pumpkin donut added lineup pumpkin cornbread sold pumpkin west theme punkin chuckin contest morton tradition involved giant contraption hurled catapulted shot pound pumpkin air open field competition began last year competitor competed title “punkin chucker supreme” onemile goal contest modeled contest sussex county delaware plan move rantoul illinois november first weekend halloween morton hold world record farthest pumpkin thrown punkin chuckin’ contest turned various machine trebuchet air cannon one machine holding spot guinness book world record q pumpkin modulator foot long air cannon fired pumpkin foot world record record november held team big inch ft q foot barrel usgallon l air tank tip scale pound kg pumpkin leaving tube fly nearly mile per hour kmh loses velocity quickly cannon seen late show david letterman well another famous device acme catapult saw airtime tonight show jay leno entertainment stage used housed food tent moved outside entertainment includes local musical act lip sync contest pie eating contest pumpkin idol modeled american idol premiered local act year included beatles cover band american english elvis impersonator lee hall jim markum swing band gut bucket band later became central illinois banjo club performance included morton high school morton illinois central illinois banjo club new odyssey guy bogside zukes cousin eddie jim markum swing band american english carnival part festival since inception hosted big amusement