Salo Pumpkin Park: Everything you need to know before you go
Salo Pumpkin Weeks is one of the most exciting autumn events in Southern Finland.
If you didn’t know, Finland isn’t exactly known for going all out for Halloween. In recent years, Halloween has slowly become more popular here too, but it’s still nowhere near as big as it is in many other parts of the world.
And this might sound crazy to you: I went to a pumpkin patch for the very first time when I was in my thirties.
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Why? Because we simply didn’t have places like this when I was growing up. Halloween wasn’t a big thing in Finland, and pumpkin patches, pumpkin festivals and all the typical autumn activities you might associate with the season weren’t really part of Finnish childhood.
So when I discovered that there’s now a whole event dedicated to Halloween right here in Southern Finland, I obviously had to go see what the fuss was about.
Every October, Salo hosts Pumpkin Weeks, a 10-day event centred around the Pumpkin Park, with other autumn and Halloween-themed activities taking place around the area.
I first visited this Pumpkin Park a couple of years ago (and I’m planning to go again this year), and I actually thought it would just be a few pumpkins with some decorations and that’s it. But I was happily surprised by how much there actually was! There was so much to see, and people had really gone all in when creating the park.
If you’re planning a trip to Southern Finland in October, here’s everything you need to know about Salo Pumpkin Weeks 2026, including when to go, what to see, how to get there, and what else to do while you’re in Salo.
What are Salo Pumpkin Weeks?
Salo Pumpkin Weeks, or Kurpitsaviikot in Finnish, is an annual autumn event held in Salo in Southern Finland. It takes place in October and celebrates pretty much everything you’d associate with the season: pumpkins, the autumn harvest, Halloween and the changing season.
The main attraction during Pumpkin Weeks is the Pumpkin Park, which is run by Rannikon Puutarha. This is where you’ll find the huge pumpkin displays, carved pumpkin lanterns and all the different pumpkin creations that make the event so fun to visit.
Even though the event is best known for its Pumpkin Park, Pumpkin Weeks is actually much bigger than that. During the event period, local businesses, restaurants, attractions and other organisers around Salo join in with their own pumpkin- and autumn-themed activities and events.
Salo has even earned the nickname Finland’s Pumpkin Capital, thanks to the popularity of the event and the large number of pumpkins grown and displayed in the area.
The Pumpkin Park is definitely the main attraction and the place most people come to see, but it’s not the only thing happening. Depending on when you visit, you can find everything from markets and exhibitions to themed tours, Halloween activities and other seasonal events around Salo.
In this guide, though, I’m going to focus on the Pumpkin Park, what you can see there, where to find it, when I’d recommend visiting, and what to know before you go.
SALO PUMPKIN PARK AT A GLANCE:
📍 Where: Vaskiontie 50, Halikko, Salo
📅 When is it open: October 9–18, 2026
⏰ Hours: 10:00–22:00
💰 Entry: Free
🚗 Best for: Autumn day trip from Turku/Helsinki
🍂 Best time to visit: In the afternoon so you get to experience the park during the day and night
Where is Salo?
Salo is a small city in Finland, located between Turku and Helsinki. If you’re travelling by train or bus between Helsinki and Turku, you’ll pass through Salo along the way.
So if you’re staying in either of these cities, Salo is an easy day trip destination, with the city reachable in less than two hours. That makes it an easy place to add to your trip, especially if you want to visit the Pumpkin Park.
How to get to Salo pumpkin park?
One thing to know when planning your visit: the Pumpkin Park isn’t actually in central Salo. It’s located in Halikko, a district of Salo, about a 10–15 minute drive from the city centre.
Here’s how to get to the Pumpkin Park:
Coming from Turku
From Turku, it’s really easy and quite quick to get to Salo. The drive takes around 45 minutes, and it’s a pretty straightforward route along Highway 110. Once you reach Salo, you’ll continue towards Halikko, where the Pumpkin Park is located. From central Salo, it’s only about a 10–15 minute drive to the park.
Coming from Helsinki
From Helsinki, Salo is also an easy day trip by car. The drive takes around 1 hour 30 minutes, and the route is mostly straightforward along Highway 1 towards Turku. Once you reach Salo, continue towards Halikko, where the Pumpkin Park is located. From central Salo, it’s about another 10–15 minute drive to the park.
No car?
If you don’t have a car, don’t worry, getting to Salo is super easy without one. You can take a VR train or a bus. My favourite is Onnibus, which is one of the most affordable bus options in Finland. Both take around 45 minutes from Turku and around 1.5–2 hours from Helsinki. Ticket prices vary depending on the departure and how early you book, so I recommend checking the current prices before your trip.
Pumpkin bus
There is also a free Pumpkin Bus that runs between Salo and the Pumpkin Park on weekends during Pumpkin Weeks. This is especially handy if you’re coming to Salo by public transport, as you can get from the city to the park without needing a car.
Important if coming by car
The Pumpkin Park itself recommends coming by public transport when possible, and after visiting myself, I can definitely see why.
When we visited the Pumpkin Park for the first time two years ago, the parking area was completely packed, and we were lucky to find one empty spot. We also saw cars parked in places where they shouldn’t have been, and I remember locals being frustrated about visitors leaving their cars along the roads and in areas that weren’t meant for parking.
So if you do come by car, please be mindful of the people who live in the area. Don’t park in private yards, block roads or entrances, or leave your car somewhere just because there isn’t an obvious parking spot. This is one of the reasons I recommend public transport if it works for your trip, it saves you the headache of finding a parking spot and helps keep the area pleasant for the local community
What to expect at the Pumpkin Park
So, I have to be honest. Before I visited this pumpkin park, I wasn’t expecting much. In my mind, I pictured a tiny park with a few decorations and maybe a few sellers selling Halloween-themed things.
But there were two things that completely blew me away.
The first was how many people there were. We were walking towards the park in a never-ending line of people, and that was my first clue that this had to be much bigger than just a few decorations and some sellers.
And once we got there, I was honestly blown away. There were so many different decorations everywhere, so much creativity and so many pumpkins turned into all kinds of different things. It was much bigger and more impressive than I had expected, and I quickly understood why this event has become so popular.
They even had some of those iconic Halloween movie-style spots, like a corn maze, which made the whole place feel even more like a proper Halloween experience. There were also so many different skeleton decorations, which were probably my favorite part.
If you do visit, be ready to take a lot of photos. There are photo opportunities pretty much everywhere you look.
If you want to take a little piece of the experience home with you, you can also buy your own pumpkin at the park. There are different sizes and varieties available, so you can pick one up to take home and carve or decorate yourself.
Food & drinks at the Pumpkin Park
You can also take a little break from walking around and grab some food from the local stalls. Last time we visited, we grabbed some hot chocolate, which was a great choice because October evenings in Finland can already be pretty chilly.
So if you’re planning to stay at the park until dark, make sure you have something warm to drink and dress for the weather!
New location for 2026
The Pumpkin Park has moved to a new location for 2026.
You’ll now find it at Vaskiontie 50, 24800 Halikko, Salo.
If you’re using an older guide or post to plan your visit, make sure you check the address before heading out, as previous years’ Pumpkin Park locations may be different.
What time should you visit the pumpkin park?
The Pumpkin Park opens its doors at 10 AM, but now the real question is: what time should you actually plan your visit?
Most people would probably think that coming as early as possible means fewer people, more space to explore and less waiting around. And that’s all true.
But after visiting myself, my recommendation would actually be to come a little later, around 3–4 PM.
That way, you still have a couple of hours to explore the park in daylight, take photos and see all the details before it gets dark. Then, stay until the sun goes down around 6 PM, when the pumpkin lanterns start lighting up and the whole place gets that proper Halloween feeling and atmosphere.
So instead of rushing there first thing in the morning, I’d plan your visit for the afternoon and stay into the evening. You get to experience the park in two completely different ways.
How much time do you need?
The Pumpkin Park is the main event during Salo Pumpkin Weeks, but there are also plenty of other things happening around Salo during the event.
So if you want to experience some of those as well, it’s worth spending a little more time in Salo rather than coming just for the Pumpkin Park.
Just visiting the Pumpkin Park
I’d set aside around 2–3 hours for the Pumpkin Park. This gives you enough time to walk around all the different areas, look at the decorations, take plenty of photos, grab some hot chocolate and something to eat, and actually enjoy the atmosphere without rushing.
If you’re visiting around 3–4 PM like I recommend, that also gives you enough time to see the park in daylight and stay until the pumpkin lanterns light up after dark.
Making a day trip
If you’re coming from Turku or Helsinki, you can easily turn your Pumpkin Park visit into a full day around Salo.
Being completely honest, Salo itself doesn’t have a huge number of major attractions, so I wouldn’t necessarily spend the whole day exploring the city center. Instead, I’d combine the Pumpkin Park with some of the nearby places and make a little road trip out of it.
Depending on how much time you have, you could add places like Mathildedal, Teijo National Park, Fiskars Village or Hanko to your trip. You could also explore some of the smaller coastal villages and countryside around Salo.
This way, you get to experience the Pumpkin Park while also seeing more of what Southern Finland has to offer.
Making a weekend of it
If you have a whole weekend, I’d use the Pumpkin Park as one part of a longer Southern Finland getaway rather than planning your entire weekend around Salo.
You could arrive on Friday, spend Saturday exploring the area and visit the Pumpkin Park in the afternoon and evening, then use Sunday to continue your trip towards another destination.
This is also a good option if you’re travelling without a strict itinerary and simply want to explore more of Southern Finland at your own pace. There are plenty of small towns, coastal spots, cafés, restaurants and places to stay that you can add along the way.
What else is happening during pumpkin weeks?
Like I mentioned earlier, the Pumpkin Park is the main event during Salo Pumpkin Weeks, but it’s not the only thing happening. You can also combine your visit to the Pumpkin Park with some of the other pumpkin and autumn themed activities taking place around Salo during the event.
There are different events and activities happening throughout Salo during Pumpkin Weeks, so depending on when you visit, you might want to add some of these to your day:
Haunted Museum
If you’re heading to Mathildedal, you can also visit the haunted museum during Pumpkin Weeks. There’s a separate children’s ghost museum for younger children, and it doesn’t use sounds, making it suitable for sound-sensitive Halloween fans.
📅 October 9–25 & October 31–November 1, 11 AM–9 PM
🎟️ Free admission
Pumpkin Weeks Motorshow
For something completely different, the Pumpkin Weeks Motorshow brings stunt and freestyle motocross to Halikko. Expect crazy stunts, big jumps and plenty of roaring engines. The show lasts around 30 minutes, and you can meet the performers afterwards.
📍 Salona Halikko, next to the sports hall
📅 October 9–11, 2026
🎟️ Tickets available 45 minutes before each show
Echo of Light at Halikko Church
During Pumpkin Weeks, Halikko Church is transformed with video projections and colourful lights, while the surrounding cemetery and old trees are lit up as well. Inside the church, you’ll find atmospheric lighting and music.
The church is also open for tours starting in the afternoon.
📅 During Pumpkin Weeks, in the evenings
🎟️ Free admission
👨👩👧👦 Suitable for the whole family
Rikalanmäki Kekri Market
The Kekri Market at Rikalanmäki is another option if you want to experience some local Finnish autumn atmosphere. The market brings together local producers and craftspeople selling everything from Finnish handicrafts to baked goods and other local products.
📅 October 10–11 & 17–18, 2026
Is Salo pumpkin park worth visiting?
Yes, especially if you love autumn and Halloween.
I honestly expected a much smaller event, but the Pumpkin Park was much more impressive than I thought it would be. If you’re already travelling around Southern Finland in October, I think it’s absolutely worth adding to your itinerary.
My tips for visiting Salo pumpkin weeks
After everything we’ve covered, here are my main tips for making the most of your visit. All the things I’d personally keep in mind when planning a trip to the Pumpkin Park.
IF YOU JUST WANT THE SHORT VERSION, HERE ARE MY MAIN TIPS:
🎃 Come in the afternoon, around 3–4 PM.
🌙 Stay until dark to see the pumpkin lanterns lit up.
📸 Bring your camera, there are photo opportunities everywhere.
🚗 Consider public transport if possible, especially on busy days and weekends.
⏱️ Allow around 2–3 hours for the Pumpkin Park.
🧥 Bring a warm jacket and proper shoes. October evenings in Finland can already be pretty chilly, especially if you’re staying until dark.
📍 Don’t forget that the Pumpkin Park has a new location in 2026.
📅 Check the programme before you go, as there are other events happening during Pumpkin Weeks and some only take place on specific dates.
🍂 Combine the Pumpkin Park with other activities if you’re making a day of it.
Final thoughts
So, would I recommend visiting Salo Pumpkin Park?
Absolutely.
I honestly didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did the first time we visited, and it ended up being so much bigger and more fun than I had imagined.
If you’re in Southern Finland during Pumpkin Weeks, I’d definitely add it to your plans, especially if you love Halloween, autumn or just want to experience something a little different in Finland.
Keep planning your Finland trip:
- Your ultimate guide to Finnish fall
- 10 best things to do in Finland in the fall
- Autumn in Finland: 25+ things to know before you visit