X - Twitter
 

Pumpkin Festival Tips

To help you plan your visit, here are some tips to help make your trip to the Pumpkin Capital of the World a more enjoyable one.

  • NO PETS, PLEASE. The City of Half Moon Bay and San Mateo County Sheriffs Department will be enforcing the ordinance prohibiting pets on the festival grounds. For the safety, comfort, and courtesy of your pets and festival-goers, please leave your pets at home. Large crowds, warm weather, food preparation and consumption make it a very stressful and dangerous environment for pets.
  • Dress comfortably, put on some sunscreen, perhaps wear a hat to protect yourself from the sun, and bring layers as October weather on the coast can be variable.
  • Wear shoes you feel comfortable strolling in. The festival covers several city blocks.
  • Consider backpacking children. Strollers are difficult to navigate through crowds. There will be secure stroller parking and bicycle parking, as well as a free filtered water bottle refill station at the corner of Kelly Avenue and Purissima Street.
  • Think about holiday shopping when browsing arts and crafts booths. Festivals offer unique gifts you can stash away until December.
  • Ride SamTrans bus service to the festival – you’re dropped off just steps from the festival! Get public transit details.
  • There are several acres of vehicle parking at the south end of Main Street, where Higgins-Purissima Road intersects with Highway 1, as well as parking areas operated by local non-profit groups who charge a nominal parking fee, and free parking on several side streets. Get parking details.
  • If you plan to ride a bicycle to the event, there will be secure bicycle parking and a free filtered water bottle refill station at the Straight Wheel Cycling lot at the corner of Kelly Avenue and Purissima Street.
  • Festival first aid and lost and found is located in the Small Hall on the IDES Grounds, the main food court and music stage area in the center of the festival.
  • Nestled beside the Pumpkin Carving Stage at 766 Main Street, families can find solace in our meticulously crafted diaper changing tent. With plush seating and a cozy, enclosed space, parents and caregivers can attend to their little ones’ needs with the privacy they deserve. Curated by Canvas Occasions, a premier local glamping and design expert.
Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival
Celebrating the Great & Almighty Gourd
October 18-19, 2025 – 9am to 5pm
Main Street, Half Moon Bay, CA