The Smoky Lake Pumpkin Festival 2022

I am one of those “getting there is half the fun” type of people. Driving to Smoky Lake is an opportunity to not only appreciate the seasonal landscape and foliage but also the Big Thing / World’s Largest roadside attractions along the way. Depending on the route, you can easily pass by the World’s Largest Easter Egg (in Vegreville), the World’s Largest Sausage (in Mundare) AND the World’s Largest Mallard Duck (in Andrew). It may add a few minutes to the journey, but a photo with a giant egg is priceless, in my opinion.

Though the show ‘n’ shine is not ~technically~ the first even of the day, it’s always the first one I hit as soon as I get into town. The 7:30 – 10:30 am pancake breakfast has always eluded me. Smoky Lake is just over an hours drive from Edmonton so I usually arrive around 11:30 am. We park by the Pumpkin Park – a must see if you love Big Things in Alberta. Naturally Smoky Lake’s oversized roadside attraction sticks to their theme – a massive pumpkin patch. From there, we walked through downtown checking out both the spectacular car show n shine as well as the art show.  If you’re into classic cars, this stroll will not disappoint!

One does not attend the Smoky Lake Pumpkin Festival and miss the pumpkin weigh-off and auction! I had been looking forward to the weigh off for nearly three years. The excitement in the agricultural centre is always palpable. Will this be the year to break the record? Well, 2022 not only broke the previous record BUT the Canadian record for heaviest pumpkin as well.

We witnessed agricultural history in the making! Yes the size of the pumpkins are impressive, but what I find endlessly fascinating is the maneuvering. The skill that goes into lifting such a massive and awkwardly shaped item is a spectacle in and of itself. The auction is the icing on the cake. Pumpkin shaped bidding paddles fly furiously through the air as squashes and gourds are on the auction block.

Homemade dried pasta, dreamy baked goods, and knitted pumpkin toques are just a few items on offering at the farmer’s market. In addition to the plethora of squashes and gourds. It’s only fitting! This year the market moved inside the agricultural complex. If a pumpkin flavoured dessert isn’t pulling you, there’s concessions inside but also the array of food trucks right outside the door. Demand for pierogi was high and every vendor sold out by early afternoon. Fortunately there’s always the option of entering the pierogi eating contest.

The pumpkin drop is the much anticipated finale of every Smoky Lake Pumpkin Festival. As I mentioned earlier, a crane drops a series of pumpkins onto a donated car whose post drop appearance suggests it visited a crusher. Though in this case, a most creative crusher. It’s truly something to behold! The collective countdown from the crowd encircling the car (at a safe distance of course) followed by the hollow thud of a massive pumpkin guided by gravity is beguiling. Whoever dreamt up this spectacle I wish to tell them how deeply I appreciate their vision.

Other Notable Happenings

As I mentioned previously, there’s only so many facets of the fair I was able to make it to. There’s also a corn maze from 9am-5pm, an indoor yard sale at the Senior’s Centre, and a hay cutting demonstration using antique machinery at the museum just to name a few.