Pumpkin-Smashing City Events

For the second consecutive year, Tioga County Sustainability and the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) hosted their beloved 'Pumpkin Smash' event, offering families a fun, hands-on, and eco-friendly way to dispose of Halloween pumpkins. The initiative aims to keep pumpkins out of landfills by transforming them into nutrient-rich compost, which in turn supports local farms, according to Ellen Pratt.

Participants of all ages were encouraged to bring their own pumpkins—or use donated ones—and smash them into pieces, which area farmers then collected for agricultural use. Beyond the main smashing activity, the event featured pony rides, a frog and pumpkin toss, and educational exhibits from the Waterman Conservation Education Center (CCE) and other community organizations, blending entertainment, learning, and sustainability into a festive, family-friendly experience.

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