I know there's another thread discussing pumpkins, but my question is different.

I've never tried growing pumpkins and would love to do so. Is it too late to sow seeds into the ground outside and have them ripe by Halloween? Even if they're not ready by Halloween, I'd still like to try. With it being mid-summer, should I start the seeds inside the house and use a grow light(I have one from when I grew primroses from seed a year ago!). Or perhaps I can sow them outside in shade and then transplant them into full sun after a certain point? Any tips?

I never see pumpkin plants being sold in the local nurseries, so I guess most people just grow them from seed?