Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival
Event
The annual Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival is held in historic downtown Elkin the fourth Saturday in September.
Festivities begin Saturday morning with the annual Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off. Portly pumpkins from growers all over the East Coast hit the scales to see which one takes home the $1,000 first prize. Previous winners have weighed in at more than 1,500 pounds. It is considered one of the most famous pumpkin contests east of the Mississippi.
Attendees are encouraged to arrive shortly after the festival opens at 9 a.m. to view the massive pumpkins, watermelons and other gourds on display. The weigh-in process begins at that time and continues through lunchtime. Large fork lifts are required to move the giant pumpkins and watermelons to the scales.
The weigh-off takes place in the parking lot of the Yadkin Valley Visitors Center, 257 Standard Street, Elkin, NC 28621.
Meanwhile, the day-long festival fills nearby Main Street with arts-and-crafts vendors, festival food, live music, a dunking booth and a kids zone.
Related Events
-
Oct
3Sonker Festival
Oct 3, 2026 noon
Edwards-Franklin House 4132 Haystack Road, Mount Airy, NC 27030Sample different flavors of Surry County's favorite dessert at the annual Sonker Festival presented by the Surry County Historical Society. -
Jun
13Ground Steak Festival
Jun 13, 2026 10 a.m.
Dobson Square Park, 110 S. Crutchfield Street, Dobson, NC 27017Ground Steak is enjoyed every day in Surry County. But on the second Saturday in June, it is the main course in downtown Dobson, with live music, vendors, kids' activities, and plenty of tasty sandwiches. -
May
16Yadkin Valley Wine Festival
May 16, 2026 11 a.m.
Elkin Municipal Park 399 Highway 268 West, Elkin, NC 28621Sip, savor, and celebrate at the biggest wine festival in North Carolina’s Yadkin Valley! This annual event brings together the region’s top wineries for a day filled with wine tastings, live music, food trucks, and local vendors in a scenic, family-friendly park setting. -
Sep
26Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival
Sep 26, 2026 9 a.m.
Historic Downtown Elkin Main Street, Elkin, NC 28621The Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival is held in Historic Downtown Elkin on the 4th Saturday in September from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. The Main Street of Elkin will be filled with live music, and vendors of every description featuring everything from antiques, jump houses, and funnel cakes to functional pottery, pumpkin painting, wood furnishings, wine racks, BBQ, baked goods, sand art, pumpkin butter, polish sausages, handcrafted gifts and so much more.