Pumpkinfest 2026

What it is

The big fall festival on Main Street: more than 140 arts and crafts vendors, food and drink from 30-plus, three stages, pumpkin painting and games in Autumn Alley, a KidZone, and costume contests for people and pets. 2026 is the first year it runs two days.

When it runs

Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Heritage Foundation says; the city’s calendar gives 10 to 6 for Sunday too. The Main Stage opens at 9:45 on Saturday.

Where to park

Downtown parking is limited and there is no street parking inside the festival. Franklin Transit’s park-and-ride runs from The Park at Harlinsdale Farm, 239 Franklin Road, to 1st Avenue and Main for $1 each way: Saturday 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. No pets, no strollers that do not fold, and no food or drink but bottled water on the shuttle. Accessible parking is in the 2nd and 4th Avenue garages. The city has not posted 2026’s street closures; in 2025 Main Street closed from 8 p.m. Friday to 11 p.m. Saturday.

What it costs

Free to attend. The money goes on food, drink, the beer garden, the vendors’ goods and the $1 shuttle; the games in Autumn Alley are free. The Franklin Theatre’s FearFest screenings that weekend are ticketed.

With children

The KidZone, in the Landmark Booksellers lot, has games and crafts. The costume contests are on Saturday on the Main Stage, on the Square: people from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (line up at noon) and pets from 4 to 4:45 (line up at 3:30). The online entry form had closed by October 21.

If it rains

Rain or shine; it closes if high winds or storms make it unsafe. The 2nd and 4th Avenue garages, St. Philip Catholic Church and the Franklin Theatre are public storm shelters.

The history

The Heritage Foundation started Pumpkinfest, with the Main Street Festival, to bring shoppers back downtown when the malls were drawing them away. The foundation dates the first to 1983 and the Williamson Herald to 1985; both count 2026’s as the 41st. More than 135,000 people came on the single day in 2025, the foundation told WSMV, which is why it added a Sunday.

Open spaces in the garages, now →