PORTLAND, Maine — Portland residents can receive their green thumbs, even after the summer. 

Residents are being asked to donate their jack-o-lanterns as part of the city’s annual Pumpkin-Cycle event. 

The event is hosted by Portland’s Office of Sustainability and will be on Saturday, Nov. 9 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Payson Park Little League parking lot. 

The goal of Pumpkin-Cycle is to reduce the number of pumpkins that are not properly disposed of.

Pumpkins collected will be used as compost for Garbage for Garden, a local organization that recycles food scraps to improve soil. 

City officials say last year’s Pumpkin-Cycle event saved more than 3,000 pounds of pumpkins from going to waste. 

“Each year, millions of pumpkins end up in landfills, which take up valuable space and contribute to methane pollution,” city officials said in a statement. “Helping reduce waste is one of Portland’s major climate action goals and what motivated the organization of Pumpkin-Cycle.” 

There will also be events held on Saturday, which will include a pumpkin smash to watch the pumpkins explode. 

The event is free to the public.