Pumpkin Smash Event

Join I Love A Clean San Diego for our first Pumpkin Smash Festival: a free, family-friendly community event at the Lakeside Community Center!

Bring your Jack-O’-Lanterns and pre-loved pumpkins to smash into our organic waste collection area, pick up free compost for your garden, drop off pre-loved Halloween costumes, plant seeds to take home, and explore educational booths focused on organic waste recycling and sustainability.

After your pumpkins have been smashed, we’ll ensure they are composted or given to hungry farm animals*.

Learn how food scraps and other organic materials can be recycled, discover simple ways to reduce waste at home, and enjoy a fun day of sustainability with the Lakeside community.

Stay 'till the end for the chance to participate in an opportunity drawing for a prize!

What you'll see:

Pumpkin Smash 🎃

Bring your Jack-O’-Lanterns and pre-loved pumpkins to help divert organic waste from the landfill.

Free Compost Giveaway 🪏

Bring a shovel and container to take home free compost for your garden while supplies last.

Halloween Costume Drive👻

Drop off gently used Halloween costumes for donation!

Seed Planting 🌱

Decorate a biodegradable planter, sprinkle some seeds, and plant it directly in your home garden!

Educational Booths 🥕

Learn about organic waste recycling, food scraps collection, composting, and simple ways to reduce waste in your everyday life

Games 🌽

Opportunity to be selected for a prize 🎫

Reminders

• Bring your jack-o-lantern or pre-loved pumpkins for composting or animal feed*!
• Donate costumes that are gently used and free of rips, stains, or odors!
• Picking up Compost? Participants should be prepared to self-load their compost. Bring: a shovel, gloves, containers for transporting compost, and tarps & bungees for truck beds. All truck beds must be covered.
• All participants are required to sign waivers upon entering the event.

* Are you interested in accepting pumpkin scraps for composting or farm use?

🎃 We’re looking for farmers and composters who may be able to accept pumpkin scraps collected from the event. Please contact Joely at jreyes@cleansd.org or (619) 342-9918.

Event is made possible by the County of San Diego and facilitated by I Love A Clean San Diego.