There are few things more versatile than a pumpkin in October. Latte? Yes. Art? Of course. Soup? We’ll take it. Top notch Instagram content? Throw an artsy filter on that gourd and watch the likes pour in.
We’re in prime pumpkin season and just about two weeks from porches sporting the sad, sunken jack-o’-lanterns. So before the pumpkins rot and the PSL is replaced with peppermint everything, get your fill of the season’s celebrity.
No matter how you like your pumpkin served up, the Denver metro region has it, from pumpkin pies to perfect photo ops.
Pumpkin Nights: Adams County Fair
Take a journey north, just far enough north to catch more than 5,000 carved pumpkins at the Adams County Fairgrounds.
There, you’ll weave your way through about a half-mile of pure pumpkin bliss at Pumpkin Nights, which is only featured in a handful of cities across the country. The goal is to spot pumpkins with a secret symbol in each of the eight pumpkin lands.
They range from a Harry Potter-themed stable hall to an Asian-themed pond complete with pumpkin turtles and a massive dragon.
Make sure to watch closely for them though; the creativity, sheer magnitude of pumpkins and impulse to snap photos can be kind of distracting from the goal. At the end, at Pumpkin Central, find the pumpkin wizard, decode the symbols and earn a prize if you figure out the magical word.
The journey through Pumpkin Nights is family-friendly and open every night, no matter the weather, Oct. 17 to Nov. 4. Tickets are $20, $16 for seniors and children ages 4-12; arrive after 8 pm and get a special night owl discount. Visit www.pumpkinnights.com for more details.
Pumpkins in the Mud Pie
This is no time for ordinary pumpkin pie. This is time for “the” pumpkin pie. During October and November The Long I Pie Shop — which doesn’t have a retail, but takes orders online and can be found at various events around the region — features a pumpkin pie covered in chocolate ganache.
The mobile shop calls it Pumpkins in the Mud Pie. Long I bakes its pies exclusively in cast iron skillets. Apart from being mobile, the shop also calls itself a “social business” for its effort to hire at-risk youth.
“As a business, we not only want to give the community we are working in delicious pie, but we want to contribute socially as well,” the shop’s website says. “We believe that through a 12-week internship that addresses everything from hygiene to customer service skills to resume writing and interviewing all encapsulated in love and belief in our interns that the participants in our program will succeed, begin to dream, and hopefully start businesses of their own someday.”
Find The Long I at events listed on the website throughout November, including classes on the basics of making pie crust and a beer and pie pairing at Mountain Toad Brewing in Golden.
Make sure to order your pie via email with 48 hours notice. The shop will let you know when it’s ready for pick up. Visit www.thelongipie.com to see a full menu and put in an order.
Littleton’s Pumpkin Poles
Each year Littleton merchants put on a unique show downtown, poles of hand-decorated pumpkins. Find them on Main, Alamo and Prince streets. They’re on display for the remainder of October.
The poles are themed differently — previous poles have been styled in “Star Wars” garb and “A Nightmare Before Christmas.” Spot them as you stroll through the downtown shops. On Oct. 28, kids wearing costumes can trick or treat around downtown at the Goblin Give Out from noon to 4 p.m.
Pumpkin Beer Fest — Hops & Pie
It just wouldn’t be a complete fall without a few cold, frothy pumpkin beers. They’ve become such a staple in beer-rich Denver there’s even a mini festival that features the seasonal suds. This weekend grab a slice of pie and order up a few.
Find a variety of Denver’s favorite at Hops & Pie, located at 3920 Tennyson St. in Denver, Oct. 27.
You haven’t tried them all if you’ve tried one pumpkin beer. Aurora’s Dry Dock Brewing will have its Double Pumpkin on tap. It’s a porter, which the brewers say does double duty and goes best with either turkey and mashed potatoes or chocolate and candy corn.
For a fall with a kick, try Copper Kettle Brewing Company’s Bourbon Barrel Imperial Pumpkin, also a porter, or Roadsmary’s Baby Rum Pumpkin Ale with Vanilla Beans from Two Roads Brewing Company.
The festival will have 11 pumpkin beers on tap. Drinking starts at noon. For more information call Hops & Pies at (303) 477-7000 or email at info@hopsandpies.com.