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Host an at-home pumpkin decorating contest with free printable signs, voting ballots, and award tags for six silly-to-spectacular categories.

Pumpkin decorating contest printable set with an orange and black-and-white striped sign, ballots, and award tags on a purple backdrop with black bats and plastic spiders

Calling all pumpkin artists! Let your creativity shine, because it’s time to host a pumpkin decorating contest right in the cozy confines of your own home. Carve it, paint it, sticker it, or glitter it: every pumpkin gets a shot at a ribbon.

As the leaves begin to fall and Halloween creeps closer, there’s no better excuse to gather friends and family around a table full of pumpkins. I put together a treasure trove of free printables to take your contest to the next level, so all you have to do is dust off the carving tools and let the pumpkin extravaganza begin!

Keep reading for the printable set, six award categories, a simple way to run the voting, and the supplies I’d shop first. Planning more than pumpkins? Our Halloween playdate and Halloween spider party for kids are full of ideas that pair perfectly with a pumpkin contest.

What you’ll love about this pumpkin decorating content:

  • Six awards, no spooky required. Categories like Cutest and Silliest mean every pumpkin has a shot, from a toddler’s sticker masterpiece to a serious carving job.
  • Everything in one set. A welcome sign, ballots, and award tags are all included, so there is nothing to design or piece together.
  • A bold look that still feels like fall. Black-and-white stripes with a pop of orange look great next to real pumpkins, and they are cute without being creepy.
  • Voting that’s actually easy. Each ballot lists every category, so guests fill out one card and you tally the votes when the last pumpkin is finished.
  • Flexible for any crowd. It works for a family night, a classroom, a neighborhood meetup, or a Halloween party with kids and adults.

How to Host a Pumpkin Decorating Contest at Home

  1. Set the stage. Pick a table or cozy corner for the pumpkins and supplies, and put the welcome sign where everyone will see it.
  2. Hand out the pumpkins. One per guest (or one per team) and set out your tools, markers, stencils, and stickers.
  3. Set a time limit. Thirty to forty-five minutes keeps the energy up and gets everyone to the finish line.
  4. Vote. Line up the finished pumpkins, give each guest a ballot, and have them choose a favorite for every category. I’d make voting for your own pumpkin off limits.
  5. Hand out the awards. Tally the votes, then tag the winners. Tie? Everybody wins.

No-Carve Pumpkin Decorating Ideas for Every Age

Carving is fun, but it isn’t the only way to win a ribbon. No-carve pumpkins are safer for little hands, a lot less messy, and they let everyone join in, from the toddler who just wants stickers to the grown-up who takes painting very seriously. Here are my favorite ways to decorate a pumpkin without picking up a knife:

  • Paint it. Acrylic paint markers are the easiest way to add faces, patterns, and fine details. Wipe the pumpkin clean and let it dry first, and white pumpkins make colors really pop.
  • Stick it. Foam jack-o-lantern face stickers are a no-mess win for the youngest guests, and a great fit for the Cutest Pumpkin award.
  • Stencil it. Trace a design with a pencil or dab paint through a reusable pumpkin stencil for crisp faces and patterns without freehand pressure.
  • Draw on it. Permanent markers turn a pumpkin into a canvas for zigzag patterns, silly faces, and doodles. Perfect for Silliest Pumpkin contenders.
  • Add some sparkle. Brush on craft glue, then sprinkle with glitter for a pumpkin that shimmers in the porch light. Work over a tray or newspaper so cleanup is easy.
  • Dress it up. Googly eyes, felt shapes, yarn hair, pipe cleaner antennae, ribbon, and tiny hats all stick on with craft glue (grown-ups on hot glue duty, please). This is where Most Creative really happens.
  • Wrap it. Washi tape, ribbon, or stripes of painter’s tape make quick, tidy patterns, especially on smooth pumpkins.

Bonus: uncarved pumpkins tend to last longer than carved ones, so your masterpieces can stay on the porch well past Halloween night.

Shop Pumpkin Carving Supplies

CHRYZTAL heavy duty stainless steel pumpkin carving kit
JOYIN Halloween foam jack-o-lantern face stickers pumpkin decorating kit
Mocoosy reusable Halloween pumpkin face stencils for carving and painting
ZSCM acrylic paint markers for Halloween pumpkin painting

Free Printable Set: Sign, Ballots, and Award Tags

This printable set includes everything you need to throw an adorable at-home pumpkin decorating soirée. You’ll get a cute 4×6″ sign welcoming pumpkin carvers, ballots to vote in each category, and award tags you can dress up with ribbons or other DIY details if you like.

Framed pumpkin decorating sign with a jack-o'-lantern and black-and-white stripes on an orange and purple background
Free pumpkin decorating printable set with round award tags, a welcome sign, and voting ballots on a purple background

Award Categories for Every Kind of Pumpkin Artist

Not everything is spooky at this pumpkin contest. Instead, you’ll find categories that fit everyone’s favorite theme:

  • Best Pumpkin
  • Spookiest Pumpkin
  • Silliest Pumpkin
  • Most Creative
  • Cutest Pumpkin
  • Most Unique

Hosting a big group? Print an extra set so every pumpkin walks away with a tag.

Five orange pumpkins with painted black jack-o'-lantern faces, three of them topped with round award tags for Most Creative, Best Pumpkin, and Cutest Pumpkin
MORE PARTY IDEAS

Other Halloween Ideas You Will Love

Free Download: Pumpkin Decorating Printables

This printable set is so easy to use for your own Halloween party, and I’m excited to share it with you for free.

All you need to do is sign up for my email list in the form below and you’ll receive the printables in your inbox. You’ll also gain access to every free printable on my site in the Printable Library.

Already a subscriber? Head to the Printable Library and use your password to download.

SHOP PUMPKIN DECORATING SUPPLIES

Whether you’re a carver, a painter, or a sticker-everything kind of family, a few supplies make the contest easier. Here’s what I’d pick up first:

Pumpkin Contest FAQs

The easiest way is guest voting. Hand each guest a ballot, have them pick a favorite for every category, and tally the votes at the end.

This set covers Best Pumpkin, Spookiest Pumpkin, Silliest Pumpkin, Most Creative, Cutest Pumpkin, and Most Unique, so there is a fit for every style.

Not at all. Painting, stickers, and paint markers all work, and they are easier for little hands.

Print and cut them out, add a ribbon or another DIY touch if you like, and set one by each winning pumpkin.

Yes! Sign up for my email list to get the set in your inbox, plus access to the Printable Library.

Happy Halloween!

If you like what you see, please COMMENT, PIN, SHARE, or TWEET! I’d appreciate the love! 

Meghan

Hi, I’m Meghan, party lover and designer at Elva M Design Studio. I’m a mom of three boys and so passionate about celebrating all life has to offer. I love party planning and bringing people together, whether it’s for Faux Champagne Friday, celebrating a new baby, a birthday, or just because! Read more...

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