In the weeks following Halloween, SCARCE coordinates pumpkin and jack-o-lantern collections all around the western suburbs. The locations below will accept your no-longer-needed pumpkins for composting. This keeps your pumpkin out of a landfill and provides rich nutrients for the soil.
Some of these pumpkin smash events will be quick drop-offs. You can either leave your pumpkin with a volunteer, or smash it yourself to add to the community collection. Others are bigger events with fun touches, such as jack-o-lantern races downhill or creative ways to smash those pumpkins.
2025 Pumpkin Smash Events
Getting Your Pumpkin Ready to Compost
Don’t forget to remove any added decorations from your jack-o-lantern before dropping it off at one of these pumpkin smash events. The goal is for the pumpkins to help create nutrient-rich soil, so you don’t want to inadvertently contaminate the compost.
Be sure to remove:
- Candles from the inside of the pumpkin
- Googly eyes
- Plastic ears, noses, etc.
- Sticker decorations
- Yarn and ribbons
In other words, you want to be composting just the pumpkin!
What if you’ve painted your pumpkin? No worries. SCARCE advises that acrylic paint won’t interfere with the composting process.
Besides these fun events, check out our article on fall colors to get the best photo memories. And although it is getting chillier, there’s plenty of outdoor family fun to be had! Tag us on Instagram to show off your autumn adventures.
