Star Wars PumpkinSpooky, silly or Star Wars-themed? (The latter would be us.) However you carve ’em, we say give your pumpkins one more night to shine.

One of our favourite things about Halloween is the day after. No more candy (hopefully) and one more activity – Pumpkin Parades.

There is something special about a gathering with your neighbours at a park and taking in the glow of the jack ‘o lanterns all in a row. (Some parks have up to 500 ‘em.) Plus the City will pick them up the next day for composting via the green bin program. Win-win-win.

So on Sunday evening, November 1st, here are locations across the city (links to events and/or maps) where you can retire this year’s pumpkins:

[googlemaps https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=zQaIFOZPqrP4.k3k7t1g8CZkc&w=640&h=480]

East of Yonge Street:

West of Yonge Street:

North York:

TRIP TIPS: 

Low-down: Bring your jack o lantern and a light. Line them up. Leave them there.

The City of Toronto’s Solid Waste Management Department brings collection bins to each of the permitted parks. Volunteers from each of the Pumpkin Parades help to collect the pumpkins at the end of the night and place them in the bins.

On November 2nd, the bins are collected and the pumpkins are added to leaf and yard waste for processing into compost.

More parades: Wanna get in on the fun next year? The City has set up a permit system to have local parks participate in the post-Halloween party.

A Councillor’s office or community group must complete a form and return the Permits Office by the deadline (this year’s deadline was October 16, 2015). Call at 416-392-8188 to obtain the form.

Permits issued to a Councillor or BIA will not be required to pay the third party liability insurance as they are covered under the City of Toronto’s Liability policy.

For permits issued to a community organization, the permit fee is waived but the third party insurance fee is applied to the contract based on attendance and number of pumpkins.

Commercial or private companies do not qualify for a permit.