Get Rid Of Your Gourds! Smash Your Pumpkin At The EP Community Center

EVERGREEN PARK, IL — You had fun carving it – now smash it! Join the Evergreen Park Environmental Recycling Commission this Saturday, Nov. 4, for the great pumpkin smash. The eco-friendly event runs from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the community center, 3450 W. 97th St.

Since the pumpkins we carve tend to be heavy and bulky, tossing them can fill up your trash can and head straight to a landfill. According to Climate Central, pumpkins and other types of organic waste emit methane gas, which is actually 25 times more harmful to the environment than carbon dioxide.

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Kids and families can throw the pumpkins at a target against the wall. There is a large tarp underneath, and at the end of the event, the Evergreen Park Street Department will shovel it all up and cart it away in a dump truck. The pumpkin waste will be composted along with the wood chips and leaves. Kids are more than welcome to pick through the pumpkin guts if they wish.

Kids must be accompanied by an adult. The event is open to residents from other nearby communities. Afterward, hang around for some light refreshments. Call the Evergreen Park Recreation Department at 708-229-3373 if you have questions.

Here are some other area pumpkin smashing events:

Lake Katherine Nature Center
7402 Lake Katherine Drive
Palos Heights
Saturday, Nov, 4, 9 a.m. to noon

Ball Fore Miniature Golf Course and Batting Cages
(Chicago Ridge Park District)
6701 W. 107th St., Worth
Saturday, Nov. 4, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Do you have pumpkin waste but not compost bins? Visit Scarce to find a pumpkin smash near you.