Discovery Center Hosts 24th Smashing Pumpkins Event
Leftover Halloween pumpkins were launched by a trebuchet at the Rockford museum before being donated to feed farm animals.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Seasonal Events
The Discovery Center Museum in Rockford, Illinois, held its 24th annual Smashing Pumpkins event on November 1, 2026. Attendees' leftover Halloween pumpkins were launched by a large trebuchet and smashed on the ground.
Why it matters
The event gives Rockford families a way to dispose of Halloween pumpkins while participating in a local community tradition. The smashed pumpkins are donated to a farm, where they are used as animal feed.
The 2026 event marked the 24th annual Smashing Pumpkins event at the Discovery Center Museum. No attendance or pumpkin-count figures were reported.
The players
Discovery Center Museum
A hands-on science and discovery museum in Rockford, Illinois, that hosts community events and educational programming for families.
The details
Attendees brought their leftover Halloween pumpkins to the Discovery Center Museum at 711 N Main St, where a large trebuchet launched them into the air to smash on the ground. The smashed pumpkins are then donated to a farm to feed animals.
Timeline
November 1, 2026: The 24th annual Smashing Pumpkins event was held at the Discovery Center Museum.
Seasonal Patterns
Post-Halloween pumpkin events such as this one follow a recurring pattern in U.S. communities of diverting discarded seasonal pumpkins toward animal feed or composting rather than landfills. The 24-year run of Rockford's event places it among long-running local examples of that pattern.
Residents who want to take part in future editions can bring leftover Halloween pumpkins to the Discovery Center Museum at 711 N Main St in Rockford. The event is held once a year, so the next edition would fall in the following fall season.
The takeaway
Donating leftover Halloween pumpkins to community events like this one keeps them out of landfills and puts them to use as animal feed. Families can look for similar local programs in their area before discarding seasonal pumpkins.
Further reading
For more local seasonal happenings, browse Seasonal Events coverage across Rockford.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Rockfordnewsfirst.
