Pumpkin sculptor Ray Villafane didn’t expect to fall for Gilbert the first time he drove through it.

“I had never even been to Gilbert, and I loved the old vibe, how they held on to some of the older architecture, signs and storefronts,” he said.

That sense of character and history made the Heritage District an ideal backdrop for his pumpkin vignettes last fall, and this year he’s returning with a larger installation.

The Great Gilbert Gourd Hunt, part of the town’s Harvest in the Heritage District celebration, runs Friday, Sept. 25, through Sunday, Nov. 1. 

Villafane is expanding the experience to “maybe upward of 40 of the foam pumpkins with the arms and legs set up throughout Downtown,” each arranged in small, story-driven scenes. Some will perch on awnings, the Water Tower, street posts, and several around HD South: Gilbert Historical Museum. 

“We’ll have over 40 pumpkins, in clusters of two or three,” he said. 

DEEPER DIVE: Here are Arizona’s Most Admired Companies of 2026

The pumpkins — many of them artificial castings of real gourds — are fitted with bendable vine arms and legs, a product Villafane created in 2012 to give his characters movement and personality. 

The foam bodies allow the displays to last all month, unlike real pumpkins, which would deteriorate within days. Only two real carvings will be on display: one submerged in a “pickle tank” at a museum location, and another carved live during Villafane’s demonstration on Sunday, Oct. 18, beneath the Water Tower.

That carving event will also feature his Scarecrow Horse sculpture hauling a load of pumpkins. It’s a rare chance to watch Villafane work, something he’s done everywhere from the White House to Food Network’s “Challenge,” where he swept all rounds and later returned as a judge. He also holds a Guinness World Record pumpkin and a place in Ripley’s Believe It or Not.

This year’s installation leans into Gilbert’s agricultural roots. Villafane is collaborating with the town to weave local history and folklore into the scavenger hunt’s storytelling. 

“It’s a fun way to bring little playful pumpkins to Downtown Gilbert and help people learn a little about the history,” he said. “Because it has such a rich farming history, it’s just a really good fit.”

Each vignette is tailored to its location: a pumpkin band at OHSO, book‑reading pumpkins above the bookstore, a dining tableau at Liberty Market, and even a pair of boxing pumpkins outside a local gym. 

“I try to do small little scenes that embrace either the store or the theme,” he said.

Visitors can sign up for a digital passport that guides them to each vignette via GPS. A digital check‑in at every stop earns participants a pumpkin prize while supplies last. The passport also includes a quiz game featuring “facts and fables about the Heritage District’s spooky past.” Printed hunt cards will be available at Town Hall, the museum and select merchants.

The month‑long celebration also includes weekly concerts under the Water Tower, fall‑inspired artist installations, merchant specials and seasonal décor throughout downtown.

Villafane said he’s excited to return to the district that surprised him on his first visit. 

“It’s fun to bring these little playful pumpkins to Downtown Gilbert,” he said. “If they spark a moment of wonder, then they’ve done their job.”