MURPHYSBORO, Ill. (KFVS) - Halloween pumpkins quietly rotting away on porches can gain new life at an event in southern Illinois.

The Pumpkin Smash is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 8 at the University of Illinois Extension Office in Jackson County.

It’s located at 402 Ava Rd. in Murphysboro.

The pumpkins will be smashed using various tools of smash destruction, including the T-ball Smash, Ladder Splatter, Pumpkin’s Revenge and more.

Gourds must be free of contaminants like candles, glitter, stickers or other decorative materials.

That’s because they’ll be turned into compost.

In exchange, attendees can bring their own bucket to take home ready-to-use composted materials, provided by Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Sustainability Office.

Organizers say t

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