One of Germany’s best – and most memorable – autumn events is the Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival, which is open this year through Nov. 3.
Ludwigsburg, which is just north of Stuttgart, has been hosting this event for more than a decade within the sprawling, beautiful Baroque in Bloom Gardens. This year’s festival boasts nearly half a million pumpkins, with 600 different varieties.
Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival – Highlights
Must-see’s at the festival include:
- Astonishing pumpkin sculptures – giant-sized, and like nothing you’ve ever seen before!
- Outstanding food – including pumpkin soup, pumpkin fries, and a decent attempt at American pumpkin pie (be forewarned, though…the sugar levels aren’t quite the same)
- Biggest pumpkin contest – Truly jaw-dropping…past winners have been nearly 2,000 pounds!
- Pumpkin varietal lineup – featuring gourds from around the globe.
Getting to Ludwisburg
By car, the pumpkin festival is just over 2 hours from Kaiserslautern and Wiesbaden, and is 30 minutes from Stuttgart. Great train options are available from Deutsche Bahn.
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