Pumpkins and protesters take over downtown Ukiah for Pumpkinfest 

UKIAH, CA., 10/18/25 — On a particularly beautiful, sunny Saturday in downtown Ukiah, community members came together to watch the 2025 Ukiah Pumpkinfest parade, which ran down State Street from Low Gap Road to Mill Street. 

Local nonprofit organizations, businesses and schools, including Ukiah High School, participated with floats, signs and coordinated dance performances. This year, the theme of the event was “Pumpkins of Oz.” 

Ukiah has hosted Pumpkinfest for decades, with the first festival in 1993, when it was only a half-day event held in Safeway’s parking lot. Eventually, with coordination from several local residents, the city of Ukiah and the Ukiah Chamber of Commerce, the first official Pumpkinfest was held in 1994. In 1996, the first pumpkin weigh-off competition had just 60 entries, and the festival introduced its first original posters and official logo. 

During the parade portion of Pumpkinfest, which kicked off at 10 a.m., adults and kids on the floats were dressed in Halloween costumes and spooky outfits, tossing candy and other treats to locals standing along the street. 

Indivisible Ukiah, an offshoot of the national nonprofit organization that was created in 2016 and encourages activism in local communities, held its version of the “No Kings” protest by marching with signs in the Pumpkinfest parade. “No Kings” protests were organized across the country to oppose President Donald Trump’s administration. 

Janet Rosen, a co-founder of Indivisible Ukiah, said in an interview that it was important to bring the group’s mission to Pumpkinfest and encourage local residents to take part in activism. She added that participating in events like this helps bridge the gap between the organization and the community.  

According to Rosen, there were about 90 people marching in Indivisible’s portion of the parade.  

“When we march in the Pumpkinfest parade, we’re taking a stand as another part of the community that believes in inclusivity,” Rosen said. “Inclusivity includes us being part of Pumpkinfest, so we are not just ‘those protesters over there.’” 

In another part of downtown Ukiah, on North School Street, Pumpkinfest continued well into the day with a street festival of carnival rides, a haunted house and food from local restaurants. Families, high school students and other community members walked around the festival buying sweet treats, playing games, and enjoying the spirit of the fall celebration. 

In one section of North School Street, another nonprofit set up a booth to inform the community on harm reduction methods. MCAVHN Care and Prevention Network works in Ukiah to support people struggling with mental illness or substance use disorder.  

“I don’t know if the community as a whole is aware of all of the services we provide. We are the only harm reduction agency in Mendocino County,” said Jessica Monahan, a program manager at MCAVHN, in an interview. 

She added that it’s nice to see community members at Pumpkinfest that she’s known since childhood. “I was born and raised in Mendocino County, and I love the food, the people. You see people you went to high school with, and you get to reconnect with them.”  

The last day of Pumpkinfest will be Sunday, Oct. 19, beginning at 10 a.m. and ending at 4 p.m. There will be games, a haunted house, a cornhole tournament and a pet costume competition. To view the schedule of Pumpkinfest, visit the link here.