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Orangetober Festival
Information for the 2026 Orangetober Festival will be updated at a later date. Until then, take a look at this past year’s event details to see what you can expect and start planning your visit!
Whether you’re day-tripping, ready for a weekend getaway, or a local looking for something fun to do, come Explore Orange with us!
The Explore Orange Convention & Visitors Bureau is excited to present the 5th Annual Orangetober Festival! This event will be held October 3rd - 5th at the Riverside Pavilion, located at 708 Simmons Drive, Orange, Texas.
The Orangetober Festival is sure to provide fun for the entire family with a great variety of events, activities, and photo opportunities! Festivalgoers can enjoy tours of the Pumpkin Village with over 10,000 pumpkins, a vendor market, gumbo cook-off, pumpkin pie eating contest, cornhole tournament, The Big Pumpkin Run 5k, Cirkus Zirkus Variety Show, food vendors, craft beer, frozen sangria from Free State Cellars, and live entertainment on the Riverside Pavilion stage by local artist Brandon Bennett, singer-songwriter Clare Dunn, and headliner William Clark Green! To close out the weekend there is a Pumpkin Scramble, where eventgoers are encouraged to bring pumpkins home for FREE!
Admission and parking for this event is free, including the live concerts! No dogs, pets, or coolers, but chairs are welcome and encouraged.
For additional information, please contact the Explore Orange Convention and Visitors Bureau at 409-883-1011. Follow @exploreorange on social media to stay up to date on all things Orangetober!
Come out for a GOURD time and FALL in love with Orange, Texas!
- When is the Orangetober Festival?
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The Orangetober Festival will be held October 3 - 5, 2025.
Our hours are as follows:
Friday - 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Saturday - 10:00 am to 11:00 pm
Sunday - 10:00 am to 3:00 pm - Where is the Orangetober Festival located?
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The Orangetober Festival will be held at the Riverside Pavilion, located at 708 Simmons Drive, Orange, Texas 77630.
- Where do I purchase tickets for the festival?
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This is a F-R-E-E event! Tickets are not required, even the concerts are free!
- Can we purchase pumpkins?
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We will give away all 10,000 pumpkins for F-R-E-E on Sunday, October 5th!
Sunday, October 5th:
- 12:30 pm: Pumpkin Village closes to prepare for the Scramble
- 1:00 pm: Pick of the Patch: kids 8 and under will each receive their very own pumpkin
- 1:30 pm: Pumpkin Scramble: all pumpkins are given away for FREE
Pick of the Patch
During the Orangetober Festival, kids 8 and under are invited to the Pick of the Patch, where they’ll each get to take home their very own pumpkin! Pick of the Patch happens under the Riverside Pavilion on Sunday, October 5th at 1:00 pm, right before the Pumpkin Scramble.
Pumpkin Scramble Guidelines- Preserve Display Integrity: Participants are kindly requested not to touch or remove any display structures. This helps maintain the overall aesthetic of the event for all attendees.
- Allowed Items for Removal: Participants may remove pumpkins, pallets, and hay as part of the Scramble. Please respect other attendees when collecting these items.
- Prohibited Equipment: For safety and ease of movement, wagons, carts, wheelbarrows, strollers, and similar items are not permitted within the Pumpkin Village area.
- Promote Community Spirit: We encourage everyone to be kind and courteous. Please share the pumpkin bounty with others, ensuring that all participants can enjoy the event.
- When will William Clark Green perform at the Orangetober Festival?
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William Clark Green will perform on Saturday, October 4th at 9:00 pm at the Riverside Pavilion, located at 708 Simmons Drive, Orange, Texas 77630.
Live Music Lineup
- 5:30 pm: Brandon Bennett Band
- 7:15 pm: Clare Dunn
- 9:00 pm: William Clark Green
Tickets are not required for this FREE event!
- How do I sign up as a Retail Market Vendor?
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The Rotary Club of Orange will be hosting a Retail Vendor Market on Saturday, October 4th from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm during the Orangetober Festival at Riverside Pavilion!
To register as a retail market vendor, please complete and return the form and payment to the Rotary Club of Orange by Friday, September 19, 2025.- Registration Forms: Orangetober: Rotary Vendor Market
For more information, contact Heather with the Rotary Club of Orange at heather@heathermontagne.com.
Vendor Scam Alert
Please be aware of scammers posting about Orangetober Festival vendor openings and applications. These accounts are not affiliated with Explore Orange, Orangetober Festival, or the Rotary Club of Orange. All official vendor registration and information for the Orangetober Festival Vendor Market will be handled directly by the Rotary Club of Orange. Explore Orange will never ask for electronic payments or private payment links. ** - How do I sign up for the Gumbo Cookoff?
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The Orange Lions Club will be hosting the Gumbo Cookoff on Saturday, October 4th during the Orangetober Festival at Riverside Pavilion!
To register for the Gumbo Cookoff, please complete and return the form and payment to the Orange Lions Club by Friday, September 26, 2025, to P.O. Box 1572, Orange, TX 77631.- Register Here: Orange Lions Club Gumbo Cookoff
- Rules and Guidelines: Orangetober: Orange Lions Club Gumbo Cookoff
Please contact the Orange Lions Club with any questions or concerns at orangelionsclub@gmail.com.
- How do I sign up for the Cornhole Tournament?
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United Way of Orange County will be hosting the Cornhole Tournament on Saturday, October 4th during the Orangetober Festival at Riverside Pavilion!
- Register on the Scoreholio app here: Orangetober: United Way Cornhole Tournament
For more information, contact Maureen McAllister with United Way of Orange County at ceo@uwoctx.org.
- How do I sign up for the Pumpkin Pie Eating Contest?
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Texas A&M AgriLife Extension will be hosting a Pumpkin Pie Eating Contest on Saturday, October 4th during the Orangetober Festival at Riverside Pavilion!
To sign up, all contestants must complete a registration form with acknowledgment of the waiver prior to the start of each contest.- Registration Form: Orangetober: AgriLife Pumpkin Pie Eating Contest
Participants can sign up at the event, register online at orange.agrilife.org, or call the AgriLife office at 409-882-7010.
- How do I sign up for the Big Pumpkin Run?
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3 Bros Running Company is hosting The Big Pumpkin Run 5K on Saturday, October 4th during the Orangetober Festival weekend! This run will take you through the historic streets of downtown Orange, past the Sabine River, W.H. Stark House, Lutcher Theater, Stark Museum of Art, Orange Train Depot Museum, and more! After you finish, enjoy a great post-race party with pumpkin treats at the Orangetober Festival at Riverside Pavilion!
Sign up for the Big Pumpkin Run at the following link: https://runsignup.com/Race/TX/Orange/TheBigPumpkinRun
- Is this a pet friendly event?
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With the exception of service animals, pets are not permitted on festival grounds.
- Can I bring a cooler into Orangetober Festival?
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Coolers are not permitted in the festival grounds.
The VFW Post 2775 and Free State Cellars will be on site serving adult beverages. Additional vendors will be available selling non-alcoholic beverages and a variety of food items.
- Where should I park for the Orangetober Festival?
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All parking is FREE!
Parking is limited. We do encourage attendees to carpool and arrive in groups. Parking will be available along the perimeter of the festival, in front of the animal shelter, on Simmons Field, and the Shahan Center at Lamar State College Orange.