This weekend is part of the 38th annual Punkin’ Days: Floydada’s celebration of its pumpkins and fall.
“We all want to celebrate our communities... and along the way, the people that came before me said, 'You know what? We have something unique because we grow a lot of pumpkins here, let's celebrate this," said Ryan Crowe, director of the Floydada Economic Development Corporation. "Let's declare and stick a flag in the air and say we are the pumpkin capital of the USA, not just Texas, USA.'”
Crowe said Floydada is celebrating what makes it special by inviting folks to see the town where their pumpkins come from.
According to Crowe, Floyd County grows 20 million pounds of pumpkins every year.
Floydada is around 40 miles northeast of Lubbock and had a population of 2,675 according to the 2020 Census.
Crowe said the title of pumpkin capital is disputed between Floydada and a town in Illinois.
"We've gotten our representatives involved, Congressman Arrington and Dick Durbin have kind of had a little back and forth on it," Crowe said. "I'm bringing back the Punkin Chunkin contest this year, and I really want to see who can throw the mini pumpkin the farthest… If we can throw it farther, we get the title. If they can throw it further, they get the title."
Along with the Punkin Chunkin, Punkin' Days will have vendor booths, a barbecue cook-off, a pie-eating contest, the 5K Punkin Run, the Punkin Capital Pancakes Breakfast, and the Punkin Days Concert and Dance. Punkin Days is this Saturday in Floydada.
For more information, see the schedule below.
Saturday
- 8 to 11 a.m. Punkin Capital Pancakes Breakfast (Serrato Sisters 214 S Main)
- 8 a.m. 5K Punkin Run (Starts in the Floydada town square)
- 8 to 10 a.m. Car Show Registration (212 S Wall)
- 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Serrato’s Corner Market 214 S Main
- 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Floyd County Museum opens 105 E Missouri
- 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Floyd County Sports Museum Open (124 E. California)
- 10 a.m. Doggy Costume Contest Presented by Animal Rescue Friends of Floydada (Pavilion)
- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rope Making (Museum)
- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Punkin Chunkin Contest (Next to Script Printing)
- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendor Booths Open
- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rafter J. Exceptional Rodeos Petting Zoo (Courthouse Lawn)
- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Kids Play Area Open (Courthouse lawn)
- 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Car Show (212 S Wall)
- 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Beer & Wine Garden (201 E California)
- 11 to 11:15 a.m. PCA's REVERB Live Performances (Pavilion)
- 11:15 a.m. to 12 p.m. Cait's Kids Live Performances (Pavilion)
- 12 p.m. All Ages Bingo (Pavilion)
- 1 p.m. Cow Patty Bingo Begins (NE corner of the square)
- 1:30 p.m. Pie Eating Contest (Pavilion)
- 2 p.m. BBQ Judging (Floydada Masonic Lodge 130 W. Mississippi)
- 3 p.m. All Contest Winners Announced (Pavilion)
- 7 to 10 p.m. Punkin Days Concert & Dance (214 S Main)
- 7:30 p.m. Punkin Princess & Queen Presentation (214 S Main)