Ben & Jerry’s swaps pumpkins and ice cream for market donations

October 12, 2026  |  By Waterbury Roundabout

Staff at Ben & Jerry's Waterbury plant swap pumpkins, ice cream and Halloween treats for donations of food and cash for the local food shelf each year. File photo courtesy Ben & Jerry's

The annual Pumpkin (and ice cream) Giveaway at Ben & Jerry’s Waterbury ice cream plant happens on Sunday, Oct. 18, in the lower guest parking lot.

Organizer and Ben & Jerry’s staffer Kim Audet says the event will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will last as long as there are pumpkins and ice cream to hand out. And Halloween treats for kids, too.

The community is invited to bring either cash contributions or non-perishable food items for the Waterbury Common Market.

“All we are asking for is a monetary donation or non-perishable donations as we support the local Waterbury Common Market to fill their shelves before winter arrives,” Audet explains. “In return, we will give folks a free pumpkin, goody bags for the kids, and a sleeve of ice cream.”

For those new to the event, a “sleeve” is a package of eight Ben & Jerry’s seconds pints. Organizers don’t know the flavors in advance.

Located at 57 South Main Street, the Waterbury Common Market is a nonprofit resource for food and grocery items free of charge to community members serving Waterbury, Duxbury, Bolton, Middlesex, Moretown and Stowe. It’s open Monday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to noon; Wednesdays, 3-6 p.m.