2026 Contest Official Rules

The 2026 Pumpkin Carving Contest (the “Contest”) is operated by PumpkinCarvingIdeas.com (the “Site”). The entry period opens October 1, 2026 at 12:00am Pacific Time and closes October 29, 2026 at 11:59pm Pacific Time (the “Entry Period”). Winners are announced October 31, 2026 at approximately 6:00pm Pacific Time.

The Contest is free to enter. No purchase, payment, or fee is required to enter or win, and a purchase does not improve your chances of winning.

• Entrants must be 18 years or older with a Site account, or a parent or legal guardian may submit on behalf of a younger carver from the adult's account. Best Kids' Carving entries made by or with children must be submitted this way.
• Site staff, contest judges, and members of their immediate households are not eligible for prizes.
• The Contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law. Entrants are responsible for compliance with their local laws.

Upload a photo (or video) of your carved pumpkin at the upload page during the Entry Period. Every upload that is approved by moderation is automatically a Contest entry; there is no separate entry form. Uploads must comply with the Site's community guidelines. You may enter as many distinct carvings as you like, but a maximum of one prize will be awarded per household.

Entries must be pumpkins you actually carved (or helped a child carve) during the current season. Photos of other people's work, stock images, AI-generated images, or entries recycled from prior years are not eligible and will be removed. By entering, you grant the Site a non-exclusive license to display your entry in the gallery, on contest pages, and in social media announcements, with credit to your username.

Entries are automatically placed in every category they qualify for based on their style, subject, and audience. Community hearts rank the public standings throughout the Entry Period. When entries close, the top 10 entries in each category become finalists, and the judges select the category winners and the Grand Prize winner from that pool. People's Choice is awarded to the single most-hearted entry of the season with no judge involvement. Judging criteria: craftsmanship, creativity, and fit to category. Judges' decisions are final.

Vote manipulation (bought votes, bot accounts, coordinated fake accounts) disqualifies the entry. Sharing your entry and asking real people to vote is not manipulation; it is the point.

• Grand Prize: $200. The single best pumpkin carving of the year: the judges' pick from all category finalists.
• People's Choice: $100. The most-hearted entry of the season. The community decides: no judges, no appeals.
• Scariest: $50. The carving most likely to make trick-or-treaters cross the street.
• Funniest: $50. The one that made the judges laugh out loud.
• Best Kids' Carving: $50. Best carving by (or with) a kid. Family-friendly category for younger carvers.
• Most Creative: $50. Wildcard category for the most original, unexpected, or genre-defying carving.

Total prize pool: $500. One prize maximum per household. Prizes are paid in USD via PayPal, Venmo, or check, at the winner's choice. Prizes are not transferable and no substitution is permitted, except that the Site may substitute a prize of equal value if necessary. Any taxes are the sole responsibility of winners.

Winners are notified via their Site account email within 48 hours of the announcement. If a winner does not respond within 7 days, or is found ineligible, the prize may be awarded to an alternate selected from the finalists. Winner usernames and entries will be displayed on the winners page.

The Site reserves the right to modify, suspend, or cancel the Contest if fraud, technical failure, or any other factor beyond its reasonable control impairs its integrity, and to disqualify any entry that violates these rules or the Terms of Service. By entering, you agree to these rules and to the Site's Privacy Policy. Questions? Reach us via the contact page.