Great Pumpkin Festival Details Announced In Stratford

STRATFORD, CT — The 2026 Great Pumpkin Festival will take place from 12 noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17, the Town of Stratford and the Boothe Park Commission announced.

The popular autumn festival, which is sponsored by Comcast, will be held at Stratford’s historic Boothe Memorial Park at 5800 Main Street. In the event of inclement weather, the festival will take place on Sunday, Oct. 18, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The festival will feature “fun for the entire family, including horse-drawn carriage rides, a magic show, a costume parade and contest, a giant pumpkin carving contest, face painting, an inflatable corn maze, and more!” officials wrote in a news release. “The many historic and unique buildings on Boothe Park property will also be open to the public.”

“The Great Pumpkin Festival is a wonderful Stratford tradition that brings our community together to celebrate the beauty and fun of the fall season,” Mayor David Chess said. “Boothe Park provides the perfect setting for families to enjoy an afternoon of activities, explore our local history, and spend time together. We look forward to welcoming everyone to this year’s Festival!”

Read more from the news release below:

Community organizations, together with the Boothe Park Commission, will help bring the spirit of autumn to life with delicious seasonal food, sweet treats, refreshing beverages, and fun activities for the whole family. The Festival will also feature Public Safety Day, where children and families can get up close with emergency vehicles and enjoy exciting Touch-A-Truck opportunities.

Admission and parking to the Festival are free! Tickets will be available at the main entrance for select food items and activities. Cash and Venmo will be accepted for ticket purchases.

Parking will be available on the field adjacent to the Stratford Railway Society. Additional parking is available at Flood Middle School, with free shuttle buses running throughout the day.

The giant pumpkin carving contest is sold out! But don’t worry—you can still join in the fun by watching the pumpkins take shape as carvers transform them into fabulous creations throughout the day. Come cheer them on and enjoy all that Pumpkin Fest has to offer!

For more information, visit www.CelebrateStratford.com.

The Great Pumpkin Festival 2026 Schedule

12 p.m. – Festival begins

12:30 p.m. – Dance performance by Connecticut Dance Conservatory

1 p.m. – Magic Show

2 p.m. – Giant Pumpkin Carving Contest Judging

2:30 p.m. – Costume Parade & Contest

3:30 p.m. – Ticket sales end

4 p.m. – Festival ends

Food, entertainment, and museums will be open and available during the Festival.