Nevada's Great Pumpkin Showdown: Who's Got the Best Jack-o'-Lantern in the Silver State?

Every family has one: the person who spends three hours carving a pumpkin while everyone else is done in ten minutes. Maybe it's your uncle with his power drill and a stack of printed stencils. Maybe it's your kid, who glues googly eyes on everything within reach. Or maybe it's you.

This Nevada Day, they finally get a stage.

On Saturday, October 31, the Nevada Day Pumpkin Decorating & Carving Contest brings Carson City's best pumpkin artists together in front of the Nevada Day Gift Shop. Thousands of parade-goers will walk past your work, and you can win up to $250 in cash.

This Year's Theme Is Practically Made for It

The 2026 Nevada Day theme is "Pumpkins, Pioneers & Tall Tales." Carve a grizzled prospector, a Pony Express rider, a ghost from a Virginia City saloon, or the biggest tall tale you can think of. You don't have to stick to the theme, but a little Nevada flavor never hurts.

Pick Your Weight Class

🎃 Kids (Decorated Pumpkin): Free entry. Paint it, glue it, glitter it. The winner gets a goodie bag.

🎃 Amateur: $5 to enter and a $50 prize. For people who've carved a few faces and want bragging rights.

🎃 Intermediate: $10 to enter and a $100 prize. You own a real carving kit and your pumpkins get compliments.

🎃 Advanced: $20 to enter and a $250 prize. For carvers who plan in October and sketch in September. Bring your best.

One important rule for the teen and adult divisions: pre-carved pumpkins only. Do your carving at home and bring your finished masterpiece to show off.

How the Day Goes

📍 In front of the Nevada Day Gift Shop, 508 N. Curry St., Carson City

⏰ Registration closes at 2 p.m.

⚖️ Judging starts at 3 p.m.

🏆 Winners announced around 4:30 p.m.

Keep Your Pumpkin Contest-Ready

Carve too early, and your pumpkin will look tired by judging time. Carve within a day or two of the contest, rub petroleum jelly on the cut edges, keep it somewhere cool, and bring it in a box padded with towels. Your entry should look fresh when the judges see it.

Then Stick Around

After you drop off your pumpkin, enjoy the rest of Nevada Day. Catch the parade, let the kids take over the Nevada Day Kids Camp, and grab some Nevada Day gear from the Gift Shop while you wait for results.

Think you've got what it takes? Sign up at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/pumpkin-decorating-and-carving-contest. See you on October 31!