NORWICH – Yes, there’s going to be a few thousand jack-o-lanterns. But that’s not the only draw at this weekend’s 9th Annual Pumpkin Festival.
Organizers say the fall gathering in downtown Norwich is packed with enough live acts and activities to fill-up two festivals, making up for the rain that washed out much of last year’s event.
“The Pumpkin Festival committee has been working very hard to assure that all our visitors to the festival will find lots of enjoyable entertainment and plenty of activities this year,” said organizer Pegi LoPresti.
The Pumpkin Festival, held in the East and West parks in downtown Norwich, officially begins Friday at noon and runs until Saturday night. It will be concluded with an official pumpkin tally and fireworks show.
The festival started out partly as a competition to break a world pumpkin record. Now, it’s become a showcase for family’s and the community at-large to express their creativity through one of America’s most popular seasonal traditions: the jack-o-lantern.
It’s also offered them a chance to be a part of something, and not just spectators, organizer Michele Lorimer says.
“We’ve even had people get engaged by carving out a proposal in a row of the pumpkins,” she said.
It’s not too late to get started on pumpkin entries, pumpkin officials say, and all participants can drop off their carved pumpkins Friday at noon and up until Saturday afternoon to be entered into the official tally. They are reminded to provide a 3-inch votive candle with each.
Other festival contests include a scarecrow contest from 4-9 p.m. Friday and pumpkin recipe Bake-Off (entries are due between 8-9:30 a.m.) Saturday.
The nasty weather drowned out much of the scheduled music and live entertainment in 2006, including headliners “Nik & The Nice Guys,” who play an assortment of 1950s and 60s era classics.
“Due to the unfortunate weather we had last year, we wanted to offer Nik & The Nice Guys the opportunity to appear on our main stage in front of the courthouse,” LoPresti said. “This group a high energy, dynamic band and they are sure to play music that young and old alike will really enjoy.”
The band will go on from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday on the courthouse stage in the West Park. Preceding them a 6 p.m. in the same location will be the magician, “Virgil.”
All day Friday, DJ Carter Brightman will be set up in the park. Also Friday, from 5 to 8 p.m., the county Council of the Arts building will be holding its free “Bullthistle Academy” for all aspiring witches and wizards in the 6th grade and lower.
There will a host of other live musical and performing acts, including Irish dancers, palm readers, clowns, jugglers, and other street-type performers.
The YMCA Halloween Parade will be taking place down Broad Street at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. New this year, participants will be able to walk their dogs in the parade in the SPCA’s “Strut your Mutt” category. Dog and human costumes are encouraged. Those interested can sign up in the SPCA “Mule” booth in NBT parking lot before the parade. All participants will be eligible for a gift basket.
Throughout both days there will also be food booths, crafts, giant pumpkin displays, haunted houses, horse-drawn wagon rides, palm readers and scavenger hunts in both parks.
New this year is also the “Ghost Walk By,” sponsored by the Chenango Community Players, where people will be led on a walk throughout the downtown neighborhood and told ghost stories associated with some of the houses and buildings there.