HIGHWOOD, IL — Highwood's 17th annual American Place Casino Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival drew more than 120,000 people during its three-day run, according to Celebrate Highwood.
The family-friendly event filled the city with pumpkin carving, live music on two stages, costume contests, pumpkin pie eating contests, trick-or-treating, interactive installations, food and artisan vendors, full bars and a carnival.
Celebrate Highwood said American Place Casino was new in 2026 as the naming rights sponsor of the festival. The organization said the sponsor also sent dozens of volunteers to help with event setup, logistics and bartending support.
Celebrate Highwood said sponsor support helped make it possible to continue offering free admission to attendees. Several sponsors also backed additional attractions during the festival, according to Celebrate Highwood.
American Place Casino supported a money machine grabber and a live broadcast from 99.1 The Mix. Culver's sponsored Curdtoberfest, which Celebrate Highwood said included a professional cheese carver and the world's first Dairy-Go-Round designed by YouTuber Matthew Beem, who was also on site. Fields Auto Group sponsored the Field's Auto Group Speedway, where attendees could try remote NASCAR-style micro-racing around a track.
"This year's Fest was a resounding success," says Jessica Ortega, President of Celebrate Highwood and owner of Giggles Play. "At the heart of it, this festival has always been about bringing people together, celebrating our community and doing some good along the way. None of it happens without the people and organizations who show up for Highwood, and we're incredibly grateful to our sponsors, our donors, and everyone who helps us bring it all to life."
Celebrate Highwood again named SaLT, short for Service and Learning Together, as the event's beneficiary. The organization described SaLT as a volunteer-nonprofit led by passionate students and veteran educators. According to Celebrate Highwood, the group supports food-insecure families, provides academic tutoring, aids communities in crisis and partners with local groups, while also promoting compassion and leadership through service-learning.
The festival has become one of Highwood's signature fall events, and this year's turnout marked another strong showing for the annual celebration. Based on information released by Celebrate Highwood, the event blended entertainment, sponsor-backed activities and a charitable mission centered on local impact.
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