This Small Town Is the Pumpkin Capital of the World

Tucked between Peoria and Bloomington in central Illinois, about three hours from Chicago, is the small town of Morton. With its quiet streets, neat homes, and grain silos standing tall against big skies. But come fall, this community of just 17,000 turns orange as it transforms into the “Pumpkin Capital of the World.”

The title isn’t just for show. Morton is home to the Libby’s Pumpkin processing plant, a facility that makes about 85 percent of the world’s canned pumpkin supply. Every fall, farmers haul in thousands of tan-skinned Dickinson pumpkins, which are a smaller, denser, and sweeter variety than your average jack-o’-lantern. They’re the secret behind the pumpkin purée you see on grocery shelves every Thanksgiving—and around here, pumpkin is a way of life.

Since 1967, the Morton Pumpkin Festival has been the highlight of the year, bringing more than 75,000 visitors for four days of parades, live music, and pie-eating contests, along with chili, doughnuts, and lattes. There’s even a pumpkin weigh-off competition, where the largest and smallest pumpkins are chosen. What started as a nod to harvest season has become one of the Midwest’s favorite fall traditions.

But even outside of the festival season, Morton has plenty of small-town charm that makes it worth a stop. Its downtown is dotted with family-run shops and cozy cafés, and Memorial Plaza honors local veterans with engraved pavers and waving flags. If you’re here in autumn, stop by Roth Pumpkin Patch to wander through rows of pumpkins and to connect with the region’s farming roots. For a bite to eat, locals frequent Schooner’s of Morton for hearty American fare or Aunt Ginny’s Café for a good cup of coffee.

If you want to make it an overnight trip, Morton has the familiar comfort of chain hotels like the Holiday Inn Express & Suites and Best Western. But just 15 minutes away in Hanna City, Illinois, you’ll find even more options like Wildlife Prairie Park, where you can spend the night in a Santa Fe train caboose or even a converted grain bin. For a touch of history, the Cornerstone Inn in nearby Washington, Illinois, which was built in 1847, mixes old-world charm with modern comforts.

But it’s obvious that no matter where you look in Morton, pumpkin pride runs deep. And in the fall, when the air turns crisp and the fields turn orange, this unassuming little town reminds visitors that sometimes, the most unique places grow from the simplest seeds (pun intended).