40 minutes from SF: Palo Alto’s Great Glass Pumpkin Patch returns this weekend only with over 10,000 handmade glass pumpkins and free admission

One of the Bay Area’s most distinctive fall events is back. The Great Glass Pumpkin Patch returns to the Palo Alto Art Center on Saturday and Sunday, September 26–27, 2026, filling the grounds with more than 10,000 handmade glass pumpkins crafted by over 20 artists from across the region. Entry is free, and the event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

Now in its 31st year, the two-day event draws more than 5,000 visitors annually. Guests can browse and buy thousands of one-of-a-kind pumpkins and autumn-inspired glass works, meet the artists behind them, and watch live glassblowing demonstrations throughout the weekend. Each participating artist brings a distinct approach to the pumpkin form, varying in color, size, shape, and technique, and many spend months creating pieces specifically for the Patch.

This year’s lineup includes Cory Ballis, Myles Freedman, Michael Hale, Ingrid and Ken Hanson, Jeanette Hartley, Henrik Jorgensen, Nick Leonoff, Shannon Jane Morgan, Eileen Morrison, Janett Peace, John Peters, Dana Rottler, Scott Satkin, Jonathan Scally, Treg Silkwood, Richard Small, Kyle Tran, James Vreeland, and Kimberly Willcox, among others.

Visitors can also enter to win a glass pumpkin made by a Bay Area Glass Institute artist — no purchase required. The winner must collect the piece in person at the Art Center.

Proceeds benefit the Bay Area Glass Institute, the Palo Alto Art Center, the Palo Alto Art Center Foundation, and the participating artists.