Pumpkin Fest is back. The Halloween-themed event, hosted by Rev. Bill O’Neal and Linn Memorial United Methodist Church at the church’s parsonage on Spring Street, will be three times bigger this year.

Rev. O’Neal is partnering with his Spring Street neighbors, Gary and Kelly Beeler on the east and Judy Rethwisch in her historic Victorian home on the west, to expand Pumpkin Fest. Members of the CMU theater department, CMU student development, and Sigma Pi Alpha and Zeta Psi Lamba sororities are also getting in on the spooky good time.

The event runs from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Halloween, and trick-or-treaters should plan to make this a part of their route.

Rev. O’Neal started Pumpkin Fest while in seminary school in Kansas City as a way of reaching out to the surrounding community. It was an instant hit and soon drew thousands. He took the program with him to Waynesville, where it also became a popular yearly event for the whole community, boasting around 3,500 people a year.

O’Neal became pastor of Linn Memorial in Fayette in 2021. Last year, he introduced the Pumpkin Fest in Fayette, which was a hit. This year’s event promises to be at least three times as big, with more treats, games, and prizes.

Rev. O’Neal says he hopes to help make Fayette into a Halloween destination for trick-or-treaters throughout Central Missouri. Combining with Fayette Main Street’s Trunk or Treat, Fayette could be a draw for trick-or-treaters throughout the area. And he hopes trick-or-treating will expand from a few key neighborhoods to town-wide participation like in decades past.

Rev. O’Neal’s affinity for the spooky season hails from his time growing up in Kirkwood, Missouri, a neighborhood of St. Louis. He recalled his mother’s love of the holiday, and this is one way of honoring her while creating fun for the whole community. The kid in him still cherishes the joy of dressing up and going door to door on Halloween night with an ever-growing sack of candy.

Pumpkin Fest will feature free food, games, candy, selfie stations, pumpkins, and even a man-eating chicken. Enjoy making smores by the campfire. Other treats include hot dogs and a cupcake walk.