The world’s largest pumpkin festival is home to some 400,000 pumpkins and is held each year in Ludwigsburg, Germany, located just 17km north of Stuttgart. The first time I went was three years ago, albeit reluctantly. J.P. (my German husband) dragged me and said it would be fun. Having never been to a pumpkin festival and not really having a desire to go, I thought it sounded cheesy and something just for kids. I’ve since changed my mind and have been each year ever since. I suspect I’m not the only Pumpkin Festival doubter out there, so here are 5 reasons why I think it’s worth visiting the world’s largest pumpkin festival:
Pumpkin Art
Each year the Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival has a theme. Last year the Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival’s theme was under the sea, featuring dolphins and blue whales made out entirely of pumpkins which I really enjoyed. I was equally thrilled this year to learn that the theme was larger than life dinosaurs made out of pumpkins:
Me posing with the mama and baby dino at the Ludwgsburg Pumpkin Festival.
Kids loved seeing the dinosaur pumpkins, but so do kids at heart, at least I did.
Pumpkin Shopping
Not surprisingly the world’s largest pumpkin festival is an excellent place to buy a pumpkin with pumpkins from all over the world, many of which I’ve never heard of. In addition to pumpkins, anything pumpkin is also available, including pumpkin pasta and my personal favorite pumpkin sparking wine, to which I will be devoting dedicated an entire post to later this week as it’s that good!:
Last year I bought 6 pumpkins and we ate pumpkin something or another for almost 2 months straight.
I'm dying to try pumpkin pasta, but as I have a gluten allergy, made some delicious pumpkin risotto instead.
I had never heard of pumpkin sparkling wine before last year and tried it out of curiosity with low expectations. Since trying it I've never left with less than 2 bottles and that's with J.P. constraining me.
Pumpkin Food
In keeping with the pumpkin food theme you can also eat an assorted variety of pumpkin goodies so go hunry. My favorite is the pumpkin soup, which is consistently the best I’ve ever tasted. J.P. tried the Pumpkin Rösti (fried grated potato) which had an interesting flavor, although I wouldn’t have wanted to eat a whole plate of it. The Pumpkin Maultaschen (the local take on ravioli) looked amazing.
The pumpkin maultaschen (pictured at the bottom) looked heavenly, unfortunately I'm allergic to gluten so didn't try it.
See Pumpkins from All Over the World
What would the world’s largest pumpkin festival be without a pumpkin judging competition? The pumpkin judging doesn’t happen until October but these two unique pumpkins get my vote:
This textured bump covered pumpkin was from the United States.
This odd shaped pumpkin came from France.
Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival Setting
The world’s largest pumpkin festival is nestled in behind Ludwigsburg Palace, one of the largest Baroque buildings in Europe. Just walking through the palace gardens and grounds is worthwhile in itself, but seeing the contrast of a palace and pumpkins is not something you see everyday. German tours and English tours are also available of the palace itself.
The impressive Ludwigsburg Palace is the setting for the pumpkin festival.
A palace and pumpkins, not something you see everyday, unless you live in Ludwigsburg.
Would you include the Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival on your Germany tour? What’s your experience with pumpkin festivals? If you’re looking for a really spooky experience check out Old South Cemetery Photos at Twilight.
The Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival runs from Sept 9 to Nov 6, 2011. More information can be found at the World’s Largest Pumpkin Festival (available only in German).
I'm Laurel, a former Program Director from Canada now living in Munich, Germany. I love traveling, diving, and hiking. I'm also an animal enthusiast with a special affinity for monkeys, cats and sharks.
Funny! When I lived in Germany, the people in my community didn’t believe me that you could eat pumpkin. They believed it to be completely inedible & thought I was lying about pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving.
We love squash. Visiting the pumpkin patch in the fall is always a highlight. To be fair, our pumpkin patches a significantly less opulent and dinosaur free.
Caanan @ No Vacation Required recently posted..Alaska – Glacier Palooza
wow, that pumpkin festival looks better than the one I went to years ago in California. I like how they use pumpkins to make the dinosaurs! so cute.
your post reminded me that, it is pumpkin season and also time to make pumpkin pie!
Annie recently posted..Japan (17) Learning to Slurp Loudly @Ippudo Ramen
What a fantastic way to welcome in all the festivals of harvest time! I can’t believe all of the variety of pumpkins and the magnificent sculptures on display. This festival looks like so much fun and your pictures convey it well!
A very interesting post. Amazing Palace. We have a boatload of humble pumpkins in Canada and I am ashamed to say we have not taken advantage of this opportunity at all. This post reveals a host of great ideas beyond pies, soup and Halloween carvings. Excellent photos.
Barry recently posted..Ford Knoll – Kananaskis Country – Hiking Alberta
Wow, that is fascinating and creative. Not only are the pumpkins and dinosaurs fun to look at but what a beautiful location!
Jeremy Branham recently posted..A Sacramento history lesson in Old Sacramento
Great pics and story!
Arghhhh – now you have me craving for a piece pumpkin pie with some cool whip!
It’s never going to happen in Nicaragua!
Cheers,
John D. Wilson
John D. Wilson recently posted..Think a prepackaged tour is just for Grandma and Grandpa?
That looks awesome. Well, except for the wine. The rest, totally awesome.
Jul recently posted..Oktoberfest: breakfast of champions
I love this festival especially the animals made out of pumpkins! Makes me wish I was in Germany for the festival. . . ok I always wish I was in Germany! LOL
Debbie Beardsley recently posted..Salzburg Randomness
Well, it’s original! Never seen sculptures made of pumpkins!
I don’t mind squash (soup, stuffing for pasta etc. can be very good) but I get slightly annoyed when in October everything becomes something-pumpkins. Pumpkin pies, pumpkin spice drinks etc. Give me back my chocolate instead!
Zhu recently posted..5 Things to Do When You Land in Canada (That No One Told You About)
Great idea. The pumpkin pasta and the sparkling wine, especially, look very tempting. What a perfect backdrop as well for all those dinosaurs.
Julia
Love the picture of the pumpkin dinosaur with the palace in the background! Glad I found out about this pumpkin festival, would love to be there and try out the “Pumpkin Rösti!
Michela @rockytravel recently posted..Exploring Broken Hill
I like the sound of the wine
It certainly seems as if some people out there are deadly serious about pumpkins!
robin recently posted..The Castle, the Eagle and the Lake.
This made me hungry and has me looking forward to the next few months where every store here in Texas will be selling pumpkins like crazy. When I moved here, I had never cooked with pumpkin before. Now, I like it pureed in soup, pieces in risotto or stew, and as an addition to pasta sauce. Yummy! I love all the statues by the way! I went to an arboretum in Dallas last year and they had some neat stuff around this time of year as well, but the festival in Germany seems to have much more going on
Sabrina recently posted..Eat This: A Guide to Great English Food in London
Oh gosh I so want to see this, the I am thinking maybe Sunday as the weather is still so nice, although there is a Weinfest in Göppingen which finishes Monday… oh too many decisions!
@Rachel – No way? I see pumpkins everywhere here, and pumpkin cakes as well, but haven’t seen any pumpkin pie though, think that’s more of a North American thing.
@Caanan – I love squash as well, especially spaghetti squash. A pumpkin fest is still a pumpkin fest, even without dinosaurs
@Annie – I like how creative the Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival is as well. Every year they outdo themselves.
@Jeff – I agree and it’s so much fun too!
@Barry – Well see, now you have no excuse not to check out a pumpkin festival. This one certainly surpassed my very humble expectations.
@John – Yah that could be a bit tricky to find in Nicaragua
@Jul – But the wine is the best! And now you have an excuse to visit Stuttgart.
@Debbie – Well now it gives you an excuse to visit in the Fall and I’m sure it wouldn’t be difficult to come up with reasons to visit the rest of the year as well
@Zhu – Well I’m sure there’s pumpkin chocolate something or other
@Julia – I’m dying to try the pumpkin pasta, and am going through my pumpkin sparkling wine which I bought way to quickly.
@Michaela – There’s still time, the pumpkin festival runs through until the beginning of November if you’re in the area.
@Robin – Oh yes, pumpkins are a serious business. I know that I now take my pumpkin sparkling wine very seriously (in other words I don’t like to share it).
@Sabrina – Really, I can’t believe you hadn’t cooked with pumpkins before. I hadn’t thought of adding it to pasta sauce, will have to try that.
@Morgenmuffel – Now that is a hard choice!
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No I haven’t but now I’m totally adding that to my ever-expanding list of places I’m dragging my husband to lol. Pumpkin food is really hit or miss for me. I don’t really care for most of what I’ve tried although I did have a pumpkin spice doughnut the other day that was delicious. But this seems like a fun fall activity regardless and it’s only about an hour from where we’ll be living. It ends a few days before we’ll be landing in Germany so that’ll have to be an idea for next year.
amandapoverseas recently posted..Our Stuff in Boxes
I was there too! I actually had to look closely to see if you stole my photos (j/k). Going back in a few weeks, what else can you recommend?