Smashing pumpkins: Annual squash festival draws thousands to Brussels castle

Published on 17/10/2026 - 7:14 GMT+2

Some call them pumpkins, for others they're simply squashes, or jack o'lanterns when carved creatively, however you dice or slice them - pumpkins have taken over a castle near Brussels, Groot-Bijgaarden, for its annual pumpkin festival.

Sourced from across Belgium and as far away as Portugal and Germany, the pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes — including a giant weighing 772 kilograms.

The festival offers more than a display of the autumn harvest. Visitors can try their hand at pumpkin carving ahead of Halloween, while some of the largest pumpkins have been turned into makeshift kayaks.

Despite a difficult harvest following a hot summer, the event continues to draw families and pumpkin enthusiasts for a celebration of autumn, with organisers expecting around 50,000 visitors this year.