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November 6, 2025 –Area residents looking for an environmentally friendly way to dispose of their pumpkins after Halloween can take part in a free recycling event hosted by the University of Illinois Extension Master Naturalists.
The Pumpkin Smash will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Nov. 8 at the old pool site in Fairview Park, Decatur.
Before bringing your pumpkins, remove any candles, ribbons, stickers, or paint that isn’t acrylic. At the event, you can choose different fun ways to smash your pumpkin. Volunteers will also have activities for kids and families.
All pumpkins collected will be taken to a composting site. Composting keeps pumpkins out of landfills, where they would otherwise create methane gas—a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change—and extra moisture that can pollute nearby water.
The event is part of a statewide effort started by the Illinois environmental group SCARCE in 2014. Since then, more than 1,250 tons of pumpkins have been turned into compost instead of going to landfills.
The event is free and no registration is needed.
