Harvest Pumpkin Festival 2026 wraps up with a 1,485 lb pumpkin

The 2026 Harvest Pumpkin Festival wrapped up over Thanksgiving weekend. For ten days, from October 2 to 12, people across Armstrong Spallumcheen came together to make, learn, listen, and celebrate fall.

A 1,485 lb winner

Jordan Abbate won the Giant Pumpkin Weigh-In at Family Day. His pumpkin weighed in at 1,485 lbs. Congratulations, Jordan!

Something for everyone

The festival filled the community with live music, line dancing, origami, printmaking, and beeswax candle holder workshops. People also tried pickling and canning and watched woodworking demos. Local artists, performers, businesses, and groups shared their talents and their spaces.

Family Day on Saturday, October 10, brought the weigh-in, pumpkin catapults, artisan demos, family activities, and photo ops. The day started with rain, but the sky cleared and the smiles kept coming.

“One of the most rewarding parts of the Harvest Pumpkin Festival is seeing people come together,” said Patti Noonan, Executive Director of the Armstrong Spallumcheen Chamber of Commerce. “Whether someone attended a workshop, shared their talents, volunteered, decorated a scarecrow or simply came out with their family to enjoy the activities, every contribution helped create something special. It’s that sense of community participation that makes this festival so meaningful.”

Scarecrow voting is still open

Scarecrows in the Street brought more fall color to Armstrong. Local businesses and residents built the scarecrows. Vote for your favorite until the end of October.

Thank you

The Chamber thanks the Government of Canada for funding support. Thank you to Askew’s Foods, the Armstrong Kin Club, and the Armstrong Regional Cooperative for supporting the festival.

Thank you to every volunteer, artist, performer, workshop leader, artisan, business, and community group who brought the festival to life.

“The wonderful response from our community reminds us why we continue to create opportunities like this,” Patti added. “It’s about more than an event. It’s about celebrating the people who make Armstrong Spallumcheen such a welcoming and vibrant place to live and visit.”

We look forward to bringing that same spirit to future events.