Maricopa’s Pumpkin Walk returns to Pacana Park on Wednesday, October 28, with two hours of candy booths, food trucks and decorated pumpkins—but contest entrants need to arrive long before the public walk begins.
The event runs from 6 to 8 p.m. at 19000 N. Porter Road. The Great Pacana Pumpkin Contest has an earlier schedule: pumpkin drop-off is noon to 4 p.m., followed by judging from 5 to 6 p.m.
That timing is the detail most likely to trip up a family that arrives at 6 with an entry in hand. The City’s Stagecoach Days page says contestants should bring decorated or carved pumpkins during the afternoon registration window, complete an entry form and receive a contestant number.
Seven contest categories, from funny to Best in Show
The 2026 contest lists seven categories:
Funniest
Most Creative
“Spoooookiest”
Children’s, for ages 12 and under
Business or Organization
People’s Choice
Best in Show
Multiple entries are encouraged. Carving kits and commercial stencils are allowed, although the rules say handmade stencils and freehand work may earn additional judging points.
Do not put your name on the pumpkin. Each entry receives a number during registration. The rules prohibit sexually explicit or suggestive content, unnecessary violence, and material that is derogatory toward an ethnic, racial, gender, religious, professional or age group.
People’s Choice is selected by event attendees. Judges select Best in Show from all entries, and winners will be notified by phone.
Entrants also agree that the City may photograph and publish the submission on its official website and social channels. All pumpkins must be collected by 8:30 p.m. on October 28; unclaimed entries will be disposed of.
What families can expect from 6 to 8 p.m.
The public event is built around a walk through Pacana Park, where local businesses and organizations hand out candy along the route. The City also lists food trucks, festive activities and photo opportunities. Costumes are encouraged in the City’s event description, but the official pages do not publish a costume contest.
The current event pages do not list a public admission charge or require attendee registration. Families making a special trip should recheck the official City calendar listing in case parking, weather or access details change.
Food-truck participation can change. Readers who want more local options can also use the OurMaricopa food-truck guide and confirm the current stop directly before leaving home.
The Pumpkin Walk is part of the wider Stagecoach Days calendar. OurMaricopa’s Stagecoach Days guide includes the surrounding festival schedule, including Party at Pacana and Salsa Fest earlier in the week.
A practical plan for contest entrants
If you are entering a pumpkin, the day has four separate checkpoints:
Finish the pumpkin before arriving; the official page does not advertise an on-site carving area.
Drop it off between noon and 4 p.m. and complete registration.
Return for the public walk from 6 to 8 p.m. if you want to see the display and participate in People’s Choice.
Collect the pumpkin by 8:30 p.m.
Bring only a pumpkin you can move safely. The rules do not publish a size or weight limit, and they do not explain whether electricity, open flame or attached props are permitted. Entrants planning an elaborate display should verify those details with the organizer before building around an assumption.
Why this event draws attention
The Pumpkin Walk began as a local fall tradition before becoming part of Stagecoach Days. A City recap from 2023 said the event attracts thousands of community members each year. A 2021 City post reported more than 5,000 attendees and 120 participating businesses for that year.
Those historical figures show the event’s scale; they are not a forecast for 2026. The current organizer page tells prospective candy vendors they can receive a free booth while handing out candy and says the event puts businesses in front of hundreds of local families.
Christ’s Church of the Valley is listed as the 2026 sponsor. The event remains a City of Maricopa Stagecoach Days program at Pacana Park.
For families, the key schedule is simple: contest work happens during the afternoon, judging ends before the walk, and the public event runs 6 to 8 p.m. The last deadline belongs to the pumpkins themselves—pickup by 8:30.
Sources
City of Maricopa, “Stagecoach Days — Pacana Park Pumpkin Walk,” event date October 28, 2026; accessed October 20, 2026: https://www.maricopa-az.gov/City-Calendar/Stagecoach-Days-Pacana-Park-Pumpkin-Walk
City of Maricopa, “Pacana Park Pumpkin Walk,” Stagecoach Days event and contest rules; accessed October 20, 2026: https://www.maricopastagecoachdays.com/pumpkin-walk
City of Maricopa, “Pacana Park Pumpkin Walk Brings the Community Together,” published 2023; accessed October 20, 2026: https://www.maricopa-az.gov/Maricopa-eNews/Pacana-Park-Pumpkin-Walk-Continues-Its-Tradition-of-Bringing-the-Community-Together