Pumpkins rolled down the sled hill and flew by trebuchet at Midland City Forest on Oct. 10

MIDLAND, Mich. — Midland City Forest offered three things for families to do with a pumpkin on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 10: decorate it, race it down the sledding hill or watch a trebuchet launch it, according to the city’s parks and recreation department.

The event ran from 1 to 5 p.m. at the forest, 2840 E. Monroe Road, just west of Eastman Road. No one needed to register, and entry to the park was free. Pumpkins sold for $3, cash only, with every dollar going to the scholarship fund of Midland’s Miracle League, according to the city.

City Forest spans 520 acres of pine and hardwood forest, and the city owns and runs it. The city bills it as the region’s top spot for winter recreation, with groomed ski trails and a lighted sledding hill. In the months without snow, it has a mountain bike trail system and a separate walking and hiking trail that horseback riders share. The park is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.

Two other events filled out the Saturday. Greater Midland held its annual Craft Bazaar from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at its North Family Center, 2601 E. Shearer Road, with local vendors selling art, gifts, food and seasonal decor. From noon to 4 p.m., the Midland Fire Department closed out Fire Prevention Week with an open house at Fire Station One, 816 E. Haley St. Firefighters planned to show live fire and rescue work, and the city’s listing added a bouncy castle and food trucks.

For later visits: The city lists the City Forest chalet and its concession stand as closed for the year, so pack your own snacks and water. The city posts weather changes on RainoutLine.com and on its weather hotline at 989-399-0506.

Updated Oct. 12, 2026: These events took place Oct. 10. This guide was published before them, and its schedule language has been changed to the past tense.

Updated Oct. 13, 2026: The headline and summary were changed to the past tense for events that have already taken place.

Sources:
City of Midland Parks and Recreation, “Midland City Forest” (Oct. 10 pumpkin event, hours and trails), https://www.cityofmidlandmi.gov/1394/Midland-City-Forest
City of Midland, calendar listing, “Fire Prevention Week Open House,” Oct. 10, 2026, https://cityofmidlandmi.gov/Calendar.aspx?EID=7131
Greater Midland, “Craft Bazaar,” Oct. 10, 2026, https://www.greatermidland.org/events/2026/10/10/craft-bazaar
Photo: Christian Collins, “Camino iluminado,” Oct. 30, 2016, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/), cropped and color-corrected; derivative under the same ShareAlike license, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Camino_iluminado_(30044168703).jpg

Midland

Tags: Midland · Michigan Travel · Pumpkins and Corn Mazes · Parks and Recreation · Public Safety