The key facts
- The festival theme is 'Forest Magic': sculptures of foxes, owls and deer made of pumpkins from Belgium, Germany and Portugal
- A giant pumpkin weighing 772 kg; the weighing took place on 26 September
- Organizers expect about 50,000 visitors until the closing on 1 November
Festival at the castle near Brussels
Thousands of pumpkins have decorated the grounds of the Groot-Bijgaarden castle in Dilbeek, about 10 kilometres from the centre of Brussels, where the annual Pumpkimania festival is taking place. This year's theme is 'Forest Magic': the exhibition features giant sculptures of foxes, owls and deer, decorated with pumpkins of all shapes and sizes brought from Belgium, Germany and Portugal.
A giant weighing 772 kg and pumpkin kayaks
The main attraction is a pumpkin weighing 772 kilograms, grown for the traditional weighing at the castle on 26 September. Visitors can also see how the largest fruits are turned into improvised kayaks for trips on the castle lake.
Programme and prices
Organizers expect about 50,000 visitors until the festival closes on 1 November. Pumpkin-carving workshops are held on weekends, and from 24 October, as part of the Halloween programme, the castle is open daily until 19:00. The celebration will end with a large-scale event crushing giant pumpkins. Admission costs 16 euros for adults and 9 euros for children aged 5 to 14; younger children enter free.
A difficult harvest
Despite a difficult growing season after a hot summer, the installations filled the estate with thousands of pumpkins, and the festival continues to attract families and pumpkin lovers.
