The guts of October’s most decorated fruit will be splattered across the parking lot of a Rockford museum on Sunday, Nov. 5.
The Discovery Center Museum lets the community convert their pumpkins into livestock feed for local farm animals. Ann Marie Walker is the marketing director at the museum. She said this annual event has something most children may enjoy.
“We've built a giant trebuchet, which is a form of a catapult used in medieval times to hurl boulders over castle walls,” she said. "And so, it can fling things pretty darn far.”
She said the fruit remains will splatter all over the other side of the museum’s parking lot.
“Then there'll be some smaller activities,” Walker said. “Little ones can practice hammering golf tees into pumpkins and make little designs. We'll have some fall crafts and activities that children can do.”
Once the splattered pumpkin bits are collected, they will be donated to Thistle Ridge Farm in Roscoe.
The Smashing Pumpkins event takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the museum. Walker said the museum is open normal hours and those who are bringing pumpkins to smash, should arrive early. Participation is included with general admission.
Vintage Goose Café and Quixotic Bakery food trucks will be on site.
