2024 marks the 61st anniversary of the Z100 Great Pumpkin according to our records. The first year the pumpkin was hidden, the number one song on the radio at the time was "Sugar Shack" by Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs. The number one movie at the box office was "Cleopatra" starring Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Rex Harrison. From the stories that have been passed down over the decades, the first prize for the person who found the Great Pumpkin was a case of Dippity Do hair gel.

Times sure have changed. One thing that hasn't changed is the excitement and lore of the pumpkin. I can remember hunting for the pumpkin with my aunt when I was a kid. For the record we weren't anywhere near where the pumpkin was hidden.

When I started working for Z100 I wasn't able to search for the pumpkin. But I still follow along with the clues just like the listeners do. Some years the pumpkin has been easy to find, and some years it has taken quite a bit longer. Utility workers and even dogs have accidentally found the pumpkin. There have been people who have found the pumpkin that followed the clues in a totally different way than they were intended.

There are also pumpkin hunters who insist they know all the rules, without actually reading them. Regardless of where the pumpkin has been hidden or how hard the clues are to understand on the radio, the pumpkin always seems to be found.

Z100 Great Pumpkin 2024

The clues to the location of the 2024 Z100 Great Pumpkin will start on Monday, October 21st. There will be 3 new clues a day until the pumpkin is found. The pumpkin will not be next to any buildings, it is not buried, it will not be fenced in. It will not be at the cemeteries, golf courses or the fairgrounds. The previous days clues will be posted online and on the Z100 Classic Rock app. The stations general rules for contests can be found here.

Z100 GREAT PUMPKIN CLUES-

Mon 10/21:

NOT IN THE WOODS

THE TREES ARE THE KEY

NO NEEDLES THIS YEAR

YOU DON'T NEED TO HIKE

ONE ROAD ENDS RIGHT BY

THERE IS A ROUNDABOUT IN THE AREA

2024 Great Pumpkin Prize Pack

The lucky finder of the pumpkin will win a prize pack from:

  1. A years supply of coffee from Hunter Bay Coffee Roasters- $780
  2. Gift certificate to 1889- $50
  3. A Magic Touch Car Wash punch card- $50
  4. Gift certificate to Paradise Falls- $30
  5. Gift certificates to the Depot- $100
  6. Gift certificates to Tagliare Deli- $50
  7. Gift certificate to Metro Car Wash- $18

Good luck in your search for the Z100 Great Pumpkin.

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