Charming and rural Goomeri goes all out to celebrate autumn every year with their colourful and lively Goomeri Pumpkin Festival! The highly-anticipated event makes the tiny town’s usual population of 700 swell to an impressive 30,000, as people from all over the region drop in to rejoice in agriculture, community, and the season.
Started in 1997 to reignite the town after a long period of drought, the festival has been going strong ever since — with the exception of a few years during COVID and after — showcasing Goomeri’s entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to try new things, as the town is not even particularly known for its pumpkins!
What to expect
The festival has continued to grown since its beginnings, and now consists of a host of events and competitions, each as fun and creative as the last.
As an amuse bouche, the day before the festival the Twilight Markets set up shop, offering up live music, stunning performers including circus acts and light-up hula hoops, sideshow alley rides and even fireworks, alongside mouth-watering food stalls and a bar.
Start festival day participating in the Pumpkin Olympics, with events such as Pumpkin Shot Put, Pumpkin Bowls, Pumpkin Patch Snatch and the Dash 4 Cash; or simply enjoy the incredible parade and its elaborate floats.
Strut your own stuff and sign up for the Pumpkin Pageant or maybe decorate a giant gourd for a chance to win. But save some energy for the main event: the Great Australian Pumpkin Roll!
Turning 30 this year, this competition is exactly what it sounds like: participants roll pumpkins down a hill and whoever’s makes it the farthest, wins a whopping $5,000. And you can win even bigger if you pumpkin lands on the lucky spot; that feat will earn you $10,000!
All events offer prizes, so there are plenty of chances to come out a winner, but if you ask us, attending the festival is already a W in itself!
Practical information
The Goomeri Pumpkin Twilight Markets will be open on Saturday, May 30 from 3pm, and the Pumpkin Festival will take place on Sunday, May 31 from 8am.
You can camp onsite for the festival or stay at one of Goomeri’s many charming accommodation options
The festival is free to attend, but you must register for any events you are interested in participating in. You can do so and see the full program when it’s released on their website.
