Sycamore Pumpkin Festival
Fall festival · Illinois
DeKalb County's courthouse lawn disappears under a Lions Club pumpkin display every October, with a midway carnival running Friday through Sunday and a parade closing out the weekend. It is a not-for-profit community event, run by volunteers, in a town square built for it.
Don’t miss
Plan your visit
Wednesday through Sunday; carnival runs Friday to Sunday, parade on Sunday
Dates from the official announcement — always confirm before you go.
Color nearby peaks: October 21–October 25
Color builds from October 8 · mostly bare by November 13
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at Sycamore Pumpkin Festival’s own coordinates and elevation (265 m) rather than a regional average. Estimates, not promises — check locally before you plan a trip around it.
Sycamore Pumpkin Festival on the map
More things to do in Illinois
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Don’t miss: 1,700 acres, founded 1922 · 16 miles of trails · tram tours and canopy walk
Richardson Adventure Farm
Corn mazeColor nearby peaks October 22
The Richardson family's Spring Grove farm has cut a corn maze every fall since 2000, now spanning about 28 acres and nine miles of paths across four linked mazes, marketed as the world's largest. Roughly 100,000 visitors a season also come for the pumpkin patch and corn cannons.
Don’t miss: 28-acre, four-part corn maze · cut annually since 2000 · pumpkin patch and corn cannons
Goebbert's Farm - South Barrington
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A 40-acre fall destination northwest of Chicago where the fields fill with pig races, corn mazes, wagon rides, an Animal Land petting barn and giraffe feeding. Its mascot is a fiberglass pumpkin-eating dinosaur, and an 18-foot 'Happy Jack' pumpkin silo marks the entrance.
Don’t miss: Pumpkin-eating dinosaur · Pig races and wagon rides · Animal Land and giraffe barn
Plan from a city
Frequently asked
- When is Sycamore Pumpkin Festival open in 2026?
- The 2026 season runs Oct 21 – Oct 25. Wednesday through Sunday; carnival runs Friday to Sunday, parade on Sunday. Dates can shift, so check the official site before you go.
- When does Sycamore Pumpkin Festival peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 21–October 25 (best estimate October 23). Color starts around October 8 and is mostly bare by November 13.
- What is Sycamore Pumpkin Festival best for?
- DeKalb County's biggest small town fall weekend.
- How do I get to Sycamore Pumpkin Festival?
- The closest city is Chicago, about 55 mi away. It's part of Illinois's fall lineup.
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