World News for Students of English

22-10-2026 07:00

Thousands of visitors are expected to attend Belgium’s annual autumn pumpkin festival at the historic Groot-Bijgaarden castle near Brussels.

Organizers anticipate around 50,000 people will visit the event, which celebrates the diverse and creative uses of squashes and pumpkins.

The displays feature thousands of vegetables sourced from across Belgium as well as distant countries like Portugal and Germany, with sizes ranging from small varieties to a massive 772-kilogram giant. Despite a challenging growing season caused by a hot summer, the festival offers far more than just a harvest exhibition. Attendees can participate in pumpkin carving workshops ahead of Halloween and even watch some of the largest pumpkins being used as makeshift kayaks.

The popular seasonal celebration successfully brings together families and gardening enthusiasts to enjoy autumn traditions and appreciate the remarkable versatility of this large vegetable.

Difficult words: attendee (a person who officially attends or is present at an event, meeting, or festival), makeshift (serving as a temporary substitute for something else), versatility (being able to adapt to many different functions or activities).

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