NORWICH – The official pumpkin count for last year’s Pumpkin Festival was 3,983. This year, with the addition of those secured by the Pumpkin Festival Committee, Norwich is sure to top that number as the Norwich Pumpkin Festival officially begins in East and West Park.
According to Pegi LoPresti, executive director of the Norwich Business Improvement District, the Pumpkin Festival Committee was able to secure 3,200 pumpkins for the community carving tent in East Park. “We have plenty of pumpkins left to be carved,” LoPresti said, inviting community members to share in the fun by stopping to carve a pumpkin in the tent.
The 3,200 pumpkins will be added to the festival’s total count, but LoPresti explained community members are still encouraged and expected to bring their own pumpkins to be checked in as well. “We’re still hoping to reach 10,000 pumpkins this year,” LoPresti said.
This year, the Norwich Pumpkin Festival will mark its 10th anniversary, and to celebrate, this year’s event will include more entertainment than ever before. With a mix of both local and non-local bands making the trip to Norwich, this year there will be something happening at the festival every half hour.
The musical entertainment begin on Friday night with Kaitlyn and John Jackson from Unadilla Valley, Fritz’ Polka Band and the Bruce Beadle Band. Saturday, musical acts will include Splash, Panhandle and headlining the event for the first time, the Folsom Prison Gang, a Johnny Cash tribute band traveling from North Carolina. Other entertainment will include dance performances by the Donna Frech School of Dance and the Claddagh Ring Irish Dancers, magic shows performed by the Amazing Meldini, the humorous antics of Whoopsy-Daisey the Clown and street entertainment provided by Wacky Chad. One performance listed on the Pumpkin Festival line up, Sylvia and the Magic Trunk will not be among those at the event. The ventriloquist performance has been replaced by the Poppy Town Puppet Show. Caraciture artists, face painting, balloon animals, palm readings, a petting zoo and other entertainment will also be provided free of charge.
At 2 p.m. the annual YMCA Halloween Parade will begin. This year’s parade will include more than 20 flats. The parade will begin at Beebe Ave. and travel up Broad Street, ending at the Howard Johnson’s Hotel. The public is invited to dress up and participate. Following the parade, prizes will be awarded for best school float, non-school float, business float and family float. Prizes will also be awarded to the first, second and third place winner for funniest, most original, spookiest, cutest and judges favorite in the costume category. Anyone wishing to participate in the costume contest should line up on Front Street by the time the parade begins. Participants are asked to attach a piece of paper with a clearly visible number to their costume, so the judges can easily identify them.
The Norwich Pumpkin Festival is funded mostly through donations, and according to LoPresti, the donations are not where the committee would like them to be at this time. So for the first time this year, the event will feature a sponsor/donor tent. The tent will feature pictures of past festivals and provide an opportunity for the public to donate to the future of the Pumpkin Festival. Members of the public can become Pumpkin Patrons by making a donation to the event.
The public will also have the chance to support the event by purchasing 50/50 raffle tickets or Pumpkin Festival merchandise, which will be available at the T-shirt tent.
The Norwich Pumpkin Festival was created to provide a fun weekend of free, family-friendly entertainment. The event will officially begin at 4 p.m. today. Pumpkins can be dropped off today from noon to 9 p.m.