Where is the ANN Bitcointalk Bitcoin Pumpkin Carving Contest 2026 competition?

[m2017]

Why wasn’t the 🎃 Bitcointalk Bitcoin Pumpkin Carving Contest 🎃 held this year? Has everyone forgotten about it, or has the world simply run out of pumpkins?

I had assumed this had become a nice annual tradition, and all through this autumn, I kept expecting to see an ANN Pumpkin Carving Contest 2026 post announcing, but my expectations weren’t met. So, what happened? Have the organizers lost interest in hosting it? Or did I just somehow miss the announcement (though that’s unlikely)? And furthermore, is no one else interested, to the point that not a single user has even asked, "Why hasn't the ANN 🎃 Bitcointalk Bitcoin Pumpkin Carving Contest 🎃 been announced this year?".

I try not to start new threads without a good reason, but this time, having held back for a long while (while still hoping to see an ANN 🎃 Bitcointalk Bitcoin Pumpkin Carving Contest 🎃),I’ve reached the limit of my patience.

So what actually happened?

[PX-Z]

I assume the people who used to organize the contest just forget about it for some personal reason, either lacking time, sponsorship, or the problem of cheating which was the issue last year of the selected winner (IIRC or its a different contest?)

Here's the last statement of the contest last year which got some problem?
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5565152.msg67123930#msg67123930

[Shishir99]

It is a nice annual event that I like to see. I also assume that the organiser probably did not have enough time to prepare a competition this year. If anyone else is interested, they are free to DM the original organiser to get permission to hold the contest this year. I know a lot of us missed the event this year, but some people were waiting for the pumpkin-carving contests more than anyone else. This is their chance to create a few accounts and rank them up.

We have seen some people getting busted even after they manage to rank up their account or win some prizes. I am not sure if ChiBitCTy actually forgot to open a thread this year, or if he probably decided not to organise the contest this year.

[lovesmayfamilis]

What a disappointment for those cheaters who started growing pumpkins in their garden beds last year,😵‍💫 isn't it? How much effort has been wasted for all those accounts that were intended for this contest, because we were warned that our cheaters would be very "brilliant" next time🥳.

And if you remove the sarcasm, then OP, what are you waiting for? Why do you need a competition? Carve your pumpkin, and more than one, and we'll admire it. Who knows, maybe this year a prize will be awarded for the best pumpkin carving initiative🏆, and it will be timed to coincide with some other regular vote.

[LogitechMouse]

- Numerous cheaters that might flock the contest.
- Lack of organizers since the past one had a problem. Respect still though.
- No sponsors.

As the above post has said it already, I also feel the disappointment, but aside from that, I would also say "F*ck you" to all cheaters out there especially during the last contest where it affected almost everything including this pumpkin contest. Also because of that, there might be no sponsors that are willing to spend their money for the contest anymore after what happened.

Well, I guess we might see a thread in the future where we could just create our own pumpkin then post it here. I mean it's not about the prize, right? 

[Lucius]

~snip~
I try not to start new threads without a good reason, but this time, having held back for a long while (while still hoping to see an ANN 🎃 Bitcointalk Bitcoin Pumpkin Carving Contest 🎃),I’ve reached the limit of my patience.
So what actually happened?

Suggestion - open a contest in Off topic, no prizes, just for fun, so let's see how many people will participate

[Majestic-milf]

~snip~
I try not to start new threads without a good reason, but this time, having held back for a long while (while still hoping to see an ANN 🎃 Bitcointalk Bitcoin Pumpkin Carving Contest 🎃),I’ve reached the limit of my patience.
So what actually happened?

Suggestion - open a contest in Off topic, no prizes, just for fun, so let's see how many people will participate

There will be participators. If anything just to prove that they were not planning on cheating but it might not attract more users unlike when there's financial rewards attached.

[Rikafip]

Suggestion - open a contest in Off topic, no prizes, just for fun, so let's see how many people will participate

Some would join just for the merit. There's always something to gain on bitcointalk.

[Brahmahatyaa]

Suggestion - open a contest in Off topic, no prizes, just for fun, so let's see how many people will participate

Some would join just for the merit. There's always something to gain on bitcointalk.

It may also be used for merit farming.

[Rikafip]

It may also be used for merit farming.

Isn't that what I just said. 

[Don Pedro Dinero]

Suggestion - open a contest in Off topic, no prizes, just for fun, so let's see how many people will participate

Some would join just for the merit. There's always something to gain on bitcointalk.

With no prizes and in Off topic? There wouldn’t be much point in trying to farm there. Loads of us have that section on our ignore list. And if someone were to earn a lot of merit there, we can already guess what it would have happened.

Actually, what I don’t understand is why we have to put up with a competition like that on Meta. I get the Pizza Day one, because of its symbolic significance in the history of Bitcoin, but pumpkins? Why don’t we do one with Christmas trees as well? As long as they include a little Bitcoin symbol somewhere, that’d be fine.

[LTU_btc]

Probably only creator of contest can answer this. Reasons might be various - not enough time, lack of sponsors or he simply got bored with this stuff. A bit sad, because it already turned into nice yearly tradition on Bitcointalk for those who participated.

- Numerous cheaters that might flock the contest.

I didn't followed closely previous editions of this contest, so, how exactly they're cheating? Unfair voting, like using alt accounts to vote for yourself?

[Rikafip]

With no prizes and in Off topic? There wouldn’t be much point in trying to farm there. Loads of us have that section on our ignore list. And if someone were to earn a lot of merit there, we can already guess what it would have happened.

If I learned anything in my years here, it's that if something can be abused, it most certainly will be.

Why don’t we do one with Christmas trees as well? As long as they include a little Bitcoin symbol somewhere, that’d be fine.

Now you are just giving them ideas. 

[m2017]

What a disappointment for those cheaters who started growing pumpkins in their garden beds last year,😵‍💫 isn't it? How much effort has been wasted for all those accounts that were intended for this contest, because we were warned that our cheaters would be very "brilliant" next time🥳.

And if you remove the sarcasm, then OP, what are you waiting for? Why do you need a competition? Carve your pumpkin, and more than one, and we'll admire it. Who knows, maybe this year a prize will be awarded for the best pumpkin carving initiative🏆, and it will be timed to coincide with some other regular vote.

OP is waiting for their pumpkin (or another vegetable) to grow to the right size.

All in all, though, it’s a great idea. Just because there isn’t an organized contest doesn’t mean have to miss out on the creative joy of carving a pumpkin (or any other vegetable), for that matter. Since there are no strict rules (and Halloween has already passed)  have plenty of freedom when it comes to choosing what to carve.

As the above post has said it already, I also feel the disappointment, but aside from that, I would also say "F*ck you" to all cheaters out there especially during the last contest where it affected almost everything including this pumpkin contest.

If the issue is scammers, then enter pumpkin-KYC to take part in the contest.

Suggestion - open a contest in Off topic, no prizes, just for fun, so let's see how many people will participate

Why not yes.

There will be participators. If anything just to prove that they were not planning on cheating but it might not attract more users unlike when there's financial rewards attached. Grin

So the point isn't at all to attract as many participants as possible.

[Don Pedro Dinero]

If I learned anything in my years here, it's that if something can be abused, it most certainly will be.

And if I learned anything in my years here, it's that if something can be more abused, it most certainly will be. A pumpking carving contest on Meta and with prices can be more abused than on Off-Topic and with no prices. The fewer incentives of the contest the less incentive to abuse it.

[Sandra_hakeem]

Why wasn’t the 🎃 Bitcointalk Bitcoin Pumpkin Carving Contest 🎃 held this year? Has everyone forgotten about it, or has the world simply run out of pumpkins?

The organizers have now decided to vouch for the pumpkins--- that they remain a food source rather than an avenue for theft.  

So what actually happened?

The people just found a way to rob with a 'pumpkin'. I'll laugh so hard if a slize was pointed to my face instead of a gun, but somehow, they still robbed.

~snip~
I try not to start new threads without a good reason, but this time, having held back for a long while (while still hoping to see an ANN 🎃 Bitcointalk Bitcoin Pumpkin Carving Contest 🎃),I’ve reached the limit of my patience.
So what actually happened?

Suggestion - open a contest in Off topic, no prizes, just for fun, so let's see how many people will participate

I tell you what, nobody will participate.  

Pumpkin contests were never about the pumpkin itself.

It may also be used for merit farming.

Isn't that what I just said.  

Bahahahaha!! .

[Z_MBFM]

If I learned anything in my years here, it's that if something can be abused, it most certainly will be.

And if I learned anything in my years here, it's that if something can be more abused, it most certainly will be. A pumpking carving contest on Meta and with prices can be more abused than on Off-Topic and with no prices. The fewer incentives of the contest the less incentive to abuse it.

No prices, also no merit  
Contests are a golden opportunity to earn easy merit income. If you stop giving merit, users will not participate even 50% of the old participate.

[OgNasty]

- Numerous cheaters that might flock the contest.
- Lack of organizers since the past one had a problem. Respect still though.
- No sponsors.

As the above post has said it already, I also feel the disappointment, but aside from that, I would also say "F*ck you" to all cheaters out there especially during the last contest where it affected almost everything including this pumpkin contest. Also because of that, there might be no sponsors that are willing to spend their money for the contest anymore after what happened.

Well, I guess we might see a thread in the future where we could just create our own pumpkin then post it here. I mean it's not about the prize, right?  

I would think that this year with the progress of AI, holding an event like this would be significantly easier than in the past as well as much less work.  A website could be created that puts 2 random entries against each other with the user picking which is better.  That makes it more fun for more people to quickly and easily participate in something like this as judges.  No more 1 vote and instead a ton of inputs from far more users that could be used to determine a winner more fairly.  I could probably create this in a couple hours while watching a movie, but don't think that it is appropriate for me given my exclusion from the trust network.  Someone with the trust of the community should do it if people care.  It isn't a difficult task.

Anyone could organize an event like this with minimal time.  That doesn't seem like a big issue.

No sponsors?  What is the value of prizes for something like this?  I'm sure there are more than enough people here who would be willing to contribute if the community wanted to see this happen.

No prices, also no merit  

A reason that was given for stripping me of my merit source efforts was that I gave merits to people who entered a contest like this...

[Vod]

A reason that was given for stripping me of my merit source efforts was that I gave merits to people who entered a contest like this...

Me too.   

[Upgrade00]

[The fewer incentives of the contest the less incentive to abuse it.

Would this not also demotivate some real users that may have joined? Incentives do not only attract cheaters, honest players with a little bit of an interest or a lot of it, will be more tempted to join if there is some reward to be won than when there is not. This does not mean they are entirely motivated by a prize,  but it helps and gives them a reason to put in 100% of their skill into it.

Those honest users are the biggest losers when cheating (if that is what stopped it this year) ruins a contest for them