Every October, the courthouse square in downtown Paris, TX transforms into one of the most joyful community gatherings in all of Northeast Texas. The Festival of Pumpkins has been a fall tradition for over two decades, and it only keeps getting better. If you have never been, this is the year to show up.
Now in its 26th year, the Festival of Pumpkins is the kind of event that reminds you why small-town living works. It is a full day of live music, local food, pumpkin decorating, costume contests, and thousands of your neighbors all gathered in one place to celebrate the season together. No tickets required. No corporate sponsors turning it into something it is not. Just a community showing up for itself, the way Paris always does.
When and Where to Find the Festival of Pumpkins
The Festival of Pumpkins takes place annually on the fourth Saturday of October in historic downtown Paris, Texas. The event typically runs from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., giving you a full day to wander the square, eat too much, and let the kids burn off energy before trick-or-treat season kicks in.
The setting is the heart of downtown Paris, centered around the Lamar County Courthouse square. The streets fill with vendor booths, food trucks, and families from all across the region. If you have driven through the square in the fall and wondered what all the buzz was about, this is it.
For the latest details on the 2026 schedule and vendor lineup, keep an eye on Visit Paris Texas and the Paris-Lamar County Chamber of Commerce for announcements as fall approaches.
What to Expect at the 26th Annual Festival
The Festival of Pumpkins has grown from a simple pumpkin decorating event into one of the largest single-day community festivals in Northeast Texas. Here is a look at what you can expect:
Pumpkin Decorating and Contests
This is where it all started. Kids and adults alike bring their creativity to the square for pumpkin decorating contests that have become a highlight of the event. There are categories for all ages, and the results are always impressive. It is the kind of activity that gets the whole family involved, from toddlers smearing paint to grandparents adding the finishing touches.
Costume Contests
The children's costume contest is a crowd favorite every year. The square fills with tiny superheroes, princesses, dinosaurs, and everything in between. It is loud, it is chaotic, and it is absolutely perfect. If you have kids, this alone is worth the trip downtown.
Live Music and Entertainment
Live music fills the square throughout the day, featuring local and regional acts that keep the energy high from morning to afternoon. The stage setups give the festival a real concert feel while keeping things intimate enough that you can enjoy the music from a picnic blanket or a sidewalk bench.
Food Trucks and Local Vendors
With over 60 vendors and multiple food trucks lining the streets, there is no shortage of things to eat, drink, and browse. From classic festival fare to handmade crafts and local goods, the vendor lineup is one of the things that keeps people coming back year after year. It is also one of the best ways to discover local businesses you might not have known about.
Kids' Activities and Family Fun
Bounce houses, cake walks, fishing in the fountain, and a whole lineup of activities designed to keep the little ones entertained. In recent years, the festival has added new events like a Diaper Dash for the youngest attendees and a street pickleball tournament for the more competitive crowd. There is something for every age and energy level.
Why This Event Matters to Paris, TX
The Festival of Pumpkins is not just a fun Saturday. It is a reflection of what makes Paris, Texas special. For over 25 years, this community has shown up to celebrate together, support local vendors, and create the kind of memories that families carry with them for decades.
In a world where so many towns are losing their community identity, Paris keeps building it. Events like the Festival of Pumpkins are proof that this town has something you cannot buy or manufacture: neighbors who actually care about showing up for each other.
For those of us who live and work here, this is one of the moments that defines what it means to be part of Lamar County. The festival draws thousands of attendees from across the region, and it gives downtown Paris an economic and spiritual boost heading into the holiday season. It is a big deal, and it should be.
Tips for Making the Most of Festival Day
If this is your first time attending, here are a few things we have learned from years of showing up with our own kids:
Arrive early. The square fills up fast, especially between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Getting there at opening gives you first pick of vendor booths and parking.
Wear comfortable shoes. You will be walking the square, and you will want to see it all. The streets are closed to traffic, so feel free to let the kids roam a little.
Bring cash. While many vendors take cards, some of the smaller booths and food trucks still prefer cash. It also makes transactions faster when the lines get long.
Plan for the full day. There is enough to see and do that you can easily spend four or five hours here and still not catch everything. Bring a stroller if you have little ones, and pace yourself on the food trucks.
A Note From the Shannon Miles Group
We have been bringing our family to the Festival of Pumpkins for years, and it never gets old. Watching our kids grow up in a community that celebrates like this is one of the reasons we have invested everything we have in Paris, TX. This town takes care of its own, and events like this are the proof.
If you are thinking about making a move to Northeast Texas, or if you just want to know more about what life is like in Lamar County, come by the office at 2322 Lamar Ave. We are right on the square, and the door is always open. We would love to show you what Paris has to offer.
And if you see us at the Festival of Pumpkins this October, stop and say hello. We will be the ones with the pumpkins, the kids, and the big smiles.
Shannon Miles Group
eXp Realty | Paris, TX
Shannon and Scott Miles are a husband-and-wife real estate team serving Northeast Texas. They specialize in land, ranch, residential, commercial, and new construction, and are the go-to guides for the Forestbrook Estates community in Paris.