At the end of the first fall-feeling week, the Arboretum hosted its annual Pumpkin Festival on October 6 and 7.

Each year, various age groups pick out pumpkins they later take home to decorate or carve to be judged. There’s always a great range of creativity that comes with this fun competition, and the fall vibes were in full swing this weekend.

Take a look through the lens as we enjoyed the bye weekend festivities.

Tis’ the pumpkin season, folks. The Arboretum was decorated with beautiful pumpkins and gourds that will remain throughout the fall. The fall energy was unmatched.

An assortment of age groups submitted their dazzling pumpkins to the contest. The two-to-four-year-old age group was full of colorful pumpkins, many of which depicted cartoon characters. The five-to-eight-year-old age group featured more intricate designs.

Our staff even caught the judges choosing their top picks. Families, meanwhile, pointed out their favorites, too.

Many adults intricately carved their pumpkin entries, showing off beautiful designs, while others let their imaginations run wild.

Super Mario Brothers was a common theme among the younger age groups, and some pumpkins drifted into the spooky side.

Nonetheless, families were full of smiles and laughter as they spent the weekend with loved ones.

As the Arboretum features the best views on campus, the changing leaves added to the beauty of the Pumpkin Festival. Families enjoyed the calm weekend leading up to Homecoming, and the kickoff to fall couldn’t have been more perfect.