SPOKANE, Wash. – The Great Pumpkinfest is kicking off tonight in Spokane, offering a festive fall experience for locals. The event will run on September 26-28, October 3-5, October 10-12, and October 17-19.
Josh Loera, known as “The Pumpkin Cowboy,” shared insights about the event, which is centered on community engagement. “TGP is a community-focused event where we bring the farm to the city with over 10,000 pumpkins, petting zoo, line dancing and face painting for everyone to enjoy,” said Loera. He emphasized that all proceeds from pumpkin and raffle sales, along with donations, support local charities.
Loera expressed gratitude to his father, Javier Loera, and Jeff Schmidt for their efforts in growing the pumpkins. “Without them, there wouldn’t be a TGP,” said Loera.
The pumpkins are handpicked, loaded into metal bins, and transported on trailers to Spokane. “After we harvest thousands of pumpkins, we then haul the pumpkins to Spokane on large trailers and unload them at Brick West, schools and other organizations that we donate pumpkins to,” Loera said.
The event offers a variety of pumpkins, including small to large orange pumpkins, warty goblins, and white pumpkins.
This year, the event is collaborating with two nonprofits, ProjectID and Peak 7 Adventures. The main beneficiaries include the Love Your Neighbor Foundation, ProjectID, and Peak 7 Adventures.
Last year, the event raised $50,800. Loera shared that all family activities, such as line dancing, petting zoo, and face painting, are free. However, pumpkins, bags of small pumpkins, and raffle tickets are priced at $10 each.
Raffle prizes include rounds of golf and a night stay at Gamble Sands in Brewster, Washington, charter Seahawks tickets with a $500 gift card for the November 19 game against the Arizona Cardinals, a Peak 7 Adventures rafting trip, and men’s GU basketball tickets for the November 11 game against Creighton with a $150 gift card to Jack & Dan’s.
Loera advised attendees to look for the biggest pumpkin and stem. He noted that orange pumpkins last for two to three months, while warty goblins and specialty pumpkins can last for months.
For more information about The Great Pumpkinfest and its activities, visit their website.
