A Giant Inflatable Pumpkin Broke Loose From a North Carolina Farm and Rolled Down the Road

CARY, N.C., Oct. 24, 2026 — Drivers near a North Carolina farm had to dodge something unusual this month: a giant pumpkin rolling down the road on its own.

The inflatable pumpkin, part of the decorations for Phillips Farms' annual Pumpkinfest in Cary, broke loose on Sunday, Oct. 11, and went tumbling down a nearby road, USA Today and UPI reported.

## The Wind Did It

Farm owner Michael Phillips told USA Today that the area "experienced tornadic winds and gusts" that morning.

"At some point, the cables holding our giant pumpkin down must have snapped, and the pumpkin took itself for a 'walk' around our property," he said.

## A Passing Driver Jumped In

Daniel Wester was driving to Pumpkinfest with his wife and their 3-month-old daughter when he saw the pumpkin tumbling toward his car, he told Storyful, according to USA Today. He was worried about a large air pump "whipping around" with it, so once he could pull over safely, he got out and helped.

It took about four people to "corral the giant pumpkin," Phillips said. UPI reported that an Uber driver and other witnesses helped bring it to a stop.

Phillips said the pumpkin only held up a few cars before "eventually turning itself in to our shop's driveway (with the help of some staff)."

## Rehomed

"The pumpkin was easily deflated in just a few minutes and has been 'rehomed' at our corn maze entrance where we don't expect it to escape again," Phillips told USA Today.

The farm is thanking Wester with free Pumpkinfest tickets that let his family into the park an hour before it opens. On social media, the farm wrote that "Pumpkinfest went a little off kilter this year, but we let it roll."

> What We Know
> - Where: Phillips Farms' Pumpkinfest in Cary, North Carolina
> - When: Sunday, Oct. 11
> - Why: Strong winds snapped the cables holding the inflatable down, the owner said
> - Who stopped it: A passing driver, other witnesses and farm staff, about four people in all
> - Where it is now: Deflated and moved to the farm's corn maze entrance

Sources: USA Today · UPI · AP News