Saturday and Sunday, October 11 and 12
11:00 am – 7:00 pm daily
Admission: Adults $8, Children $6
Pumpkin Carving Contest
If you have an eye for sculpture and work well with sharp objects, enter the Pumpkin Carving Contest at the New Mexico Pumpkin Festival. The sky is the limit – go traditional jack-o-lantern or Martha Stewart. Pumpkins can be purchased at the maze for $4; groups wishing to submit a large number of entries can apply for a donation of pumpkins by emailing specific request to Dawn@HelpingHandsEvents.com. Carved pumpkins must be turned in at the Mesilla Valley Maze between October 8 and 2:00 pm on October 11. Pumpkins will be judged on creativity, uniqueness, and skill in three categories: 12 and under; Teen, and Adult. Prizes in each category will be awarded by the Pumpkin Princess at 6:00 pm on Saturday October 11 and then all of the entries will be lit for the Pumpkin Glow.
Click here for entry form.
You knew that talent would come in handy some day, didn’t you? Pucker up, aim well, and spit! Contestants aim for the bulls-eye and gather points for each of the 10 seeds as they make it into each ring. No cost to enter, just a willingness to have fun. Rounds conducted each day and prizes awarded for the best spitter in the kiddos (under 7), youth (8 – 16) and adult categories.
Pumpkin Shot Put
Loosen up the arm and get ready to launch that fist-sized pumpkin as far as you can. Don’t worry if it cracks, we’ll mark it at the farthest splat! Stand in the ring, spin if you like, and launch it as far as you can. Prizes awarded each day in the kiddos (under 7), youth (8 – 16) and adult categories.
Pie Eating Contest
Can’t get enough pumpkin pie and can’t wait for Thanksgiving? Now’s your chance – the whole pie is for you! No utensils but you can use your hands. Eat the pie the fastest and you could earn the coveted Fastest Pumpkin Pie Eating in the West prize. Contest held Saturday and Sunday at 3:00 pm. Prizes awarded each day. Tums not included.
Always fun, but more fun and rewarding when your toss raises money for Cowboys for Cancer Research. Line up to throw pies at local “celebrities” (check back to see who we rope into this!) Increase your donation to C4CR and we’ll let you stand even closer. Drop enough in the bucket and you can walk right up with that pie in the face.
Let your creative juices flow and enter your best pumpkin recipe. Categories are general to allow a lot of creativity: Best Traditional Use of Pumpkin, Most Unique Use of Pumpkin, Use of Pumpkin in a (non-alcoholic) drink. The only rule is it must have pumpkin in it. Prepared product must be turned in Friday, October 10 by Noon. Prizes awarded Saturday at 2:00 pm.
Click here to download rules and entry form.
Adopt-a-Pumpkin and Pumpkin Weigh Off
Always wanted to grow one of those giant vegetables? Let the Lyles Family Farm do the work for you. Come in to the U Pick garden between Labor Day weekend and September 26 and adopt the pumpkin you think will grow to be the largest. Adoption fees of $10 per pumpkin benefit the Las Cruces FFA. We’ll mark your pumpkin and do all the watering and fertilizing for you. Come back on Sunday October 12 during the festival, and we’ll haul those babies onto the scale and see who picked the biggest. Prizes awarded to the top three pumpkins. All proceeds benefit the Las Cruces Future Farmers of America.
Break out the pencils, crayons, and markers! Be the best in coloring the official New Mexico Pumpkin Festival coloring page and turn in by Friday, September 26. Your whole class could get tickets to come to the Mesilla Valley Maze, plus you get the prize and tickets for your whole family. All winners, Runners Up and Honorable Mentions will be displayed around the maze for all to see. Prizes given in three categories: Preschool (aged 5 and under), Lower Elementary (Kindergarten through 2nd grade) and Upper Elementary (3rd through 5th grade).
Click here for the coloring picture.
Every festival needs a princess! Contest is open to 5th grade girls in Las Cruces, El Paso and the surrounding area. Download the application, include a photo and short essay on why you want to be the Pumpkin Princess. Deadline to apply is September 12.
The Pumpkin Princess will be the official representative of the Pumpkin Festival and will need to be present at the following events: Maze Kick Off Party on Friday, September 26, ride the Pumpkin Festival Float in the Whole Enchilada Parade on Saturday September 27, visit the Mesilla Valley Maze booth at the Southern NM State Fair, attend both days of the festival to award prizes to different contest winners, and come back in 2009 to crown the new Pumpkin Princess.
The Pumpkin Princess will receive a unique Prize Pack with all sorts of goodies including gift cards to local businesses, a pizza party for her friends, and of course the tiara and ribbons.
Click here for application.
