Those who were members of the Grinnell College community last fall may remember an historic event that took place on the evening of October 30th, 2023–the wedding of two gay pumpkins, Pumpy Lumpkin and Lil’ Gordgeous. Although these two pumpkins have since passed on, they have not faded from memory, and two days after their wedding anniversary (delayed due to thunderstorms) the Stonewall Resource Center (SRC) held a Gay Pumpkin Séance to honor their memory and their love, as well as to attempt to contact these autumnal gourds of the beyond.
The pumpkins have remained in the SRC for the entirety of their year of marriage and death. Samiya Bhatia `27, SRC student program coordinator, said that the SRC staff, both Micho Adler, assistant director of intercultural affairs, and the student staff wanted to throw something in remembrance of the pumpkins, despite the effects of nature taking their toll.
The SRC was dimly lit and decorated with floating candles and jack o’ lanterns, and offered a wide variety of Halloween themed snacks. The focal point of the room, though, was the altar to Pumpy Lumpkin and Lil’ Gourdgeous. Attendees were encouraged to bring an offering to the two dearly departed souls, and the altar featured more candles, photos of the couple, a print out of their “tragic love story” and last but certainly not least, the decayed pumpkins themselves shrouded in lace.
A séance, of course, implies some sort of contact with the beyond. Attendees were treated to tarot card readings by Professor Jordan Reznick, American studies, reaching the pumpkins through a spirit board, and crystal ball fortune telling from Adler. After each activity, participants were handed a piece of paper with a fortune, for example, “Do not adopt another pet.”
“This is delightful,” said Ella Papp `25. “I was not here for the pumpkin wedding but I was delighted to hear it occurred, and I’m really enjoying the decor. I think that people put a lot of effort into this, and it’s really nice to celebrate Halloween, because I think that Halloween is gay Christmas.”
At the end of the night, the pumpkins were burned on the grill outside of Younker Hall. Though their physical bodies may be charred, their spirits remain around campus . Do you feel the presence of Pumpy Lumpkin and Lil’ Gourdgeous?
