Portage Event Partnership

10/15/2026

🥳 Portage Event Partnership is so excited to announce...

We have partnered with BJ's Wholesale Club to offer NEW MEMBERSHIPS and raise funds for PEP Events! They are promoting a limited-time Founding Member offer. Plus an additional gas savings for the first 6 months of your membership!

In order for PEP to receive any benefit, you MUST use PEP's special group promo code: 838012

Check out their Membership Tiers and choose the one that's best for you and your household.
We truly appreciate this partnership and can't wait to shop until we drop in 2027! 🛒

10/11/2026

Thank you for stopping by our event!

The City of Portage was covered in Halloween spirit on Saturday, October 10, for the seventh annual Light Up the Gourds event. Families flooded Imagination Glen Park, experiencing all sorts of festive fun put together by the city and its volunteers.  The event held several spooky attractions for th...

10/10/2026

We hope you have your walking shoes ready! Can't wait to see everyone, it's going to be PERFECT weather!!

10/09/2026

If you're hungry after walking our illuminated trail, stop by one of our delicious food trucks to feed the family. There will also be a few vendor booths with helpful information.
Thank you to all of our local organizations that carved so beautifully, we truly appreciate you!
Please stay tuned to see which scenes win the coveted "Golden Pumpkin" award!
We hope to see everyone tomorrow night at Light Up the Gourds! 🎃

10/09/2026

👀 See you soon!

10/08/2026

Two more sleeps! 😴 😴

10/07/2026

Almost there!!!

10/05/2026

PEP has started the countdown to Light Up the Gourds!

10/02/2026

ATTENTION PUMPKIN CARVERS!!

One more weekend before our event - 7th Annual Light Up the Gourds-Illuminated Pumpkin Trail!
Our scenes are beautiful to look at, but have you ever wondered how those pumpkins get there?

Each year PEP purchases over 200 pumpkins in preparation for the Community Carving Night. We then begin the search for volunteers to help us host scenes to place everyone of those carved pumpkins along a portion of the Outback and Prairie Duneland Trails.
This event has grown tremendously over the past 6 years and we LOVE to showcase our community's talents! We would appreciate if you could donate an hour or two to either carve a few pumpkins or host an entire scene. You don't have to be a professional carver, we encourage everyone from children to grandparents to have a chance to brag "I made that!" as you walk along the trail with your family and friends.

It's not too late to enter your carved jack-o-lantern scene. Please enjoy a sampling of previous years submissions below. 🎃 🧙‍♀️ 🎃

Applications to join this free event are available here:
https://www.portagein.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6904/2026-Application-2-sided