The Santa Maria Utilities Department has cancelled the pumpkin smashing event scheduled for Saturday as a precaution due to a recent public health outbreak in a neighboring county.

City officials on Tuesday announced the cancellation in the wake of a San Luis Obispo County Public Health investigation into several cases of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infection.

SLO County representatives said the outbreak is suspected to be linked to an exposure at Brookshire Farms, located on Los Osos Valley Road in San Luis Obispo.

So far, investigators have confirmed five E. coli cases. 

Late last week, eight others were still under investigation involving people with symptoms consistent with STEC infection who visited the farm between Oct. 16 and Oct. 26.

Three cases have developed Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), which can lead to kidney failure and death.

In one additional case, the patient was hospitalized and released. 

Out of an abundance of caution, Brookshire Farms remains closed, SLO County officials said.

Along with a pumpkin patch, Brookshire Farms, which opened at the Los Osos Valley Road location in 2012, boasted extravagant themed corn mazes in recent years, hay rides and other attractions.

The source on the farm of the infections associated with this investigation remains under investigation, SLO County Public Health officials said in last week’s statement.

Saturday’s event in Santa Maria would have been the fifth pumpkin smashing event and was set to include pumpkin bowling. 

In addition to serving up fun, the event provided a way to diverte pumpkins from the landfill by providing a drop-off location for composting. 

In the wake of the Santa Maria event’s cancellation, residents are encouraged to place pumpkins and other food waste in the green organics cart for collection.

For more information, call the Utilities Department, 805.925.0951, ext. 7270.