Kentville, Nova Scotia, has opened its annual autumn roll call, and the population includes more than 300 Pumpkin People. They appear around town in clever, unexpected displays from October 3 through October 25, giving visitors a very seasonal reason to keep their eyes on the sidewalks.
“Rita Raccoon is checking the route twice,” says Hilarious News’ resident oddities reporter. “With this many pumpkin citizens, somebody has to make sure every hat has a proper address.”
The Town of Kentville’s 2026 theme is “Witches, Wizards, and Warlocks.” Its visitor guide points people west to east along Highway 1, beginning near Exit 14 in Coldbrook and continuing into Kentville along Park Street and Main Street. The map turns a fall drive into a town-sized character hunt.
There is also an official Pumpkin People Passport. Visitors can pick one up at the Kentville Visitor Information Centre, then collect stamps when they shop at participating local businesses. The town says each additional stamp brings more chances to win, which gives the pumpkin census a satisfying side quest: find the displays, meet the shopkeepers, and build a passport that looks like autumn kept good records.
The festival’s playful lineup includes contests, children’s activities, trivia, bingo, scavenger hunts, and a participation ribbon for completing activities at Pumpkin People Headquarters. This year’s displays began appearing on October 3, so the town’s gourd-sized cast has the rest of the month to welcome visitors.
For a town that has invited 300-plus pumpkin people onto its streets, Kentville has made one thing clear: the fall season comes with a full guest list—and a passport is a useful way to keep track.
Plan a visit: Town of Kentville’s Pumpkin People Festival guide · Tourism Nova Scotia’s festival listing.
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