NORWICH – The 11th Norwich Pumpkin Festival is right around the corner and once again, the Chenango Community Players will be sponsoring the 3rd annual Ghost Walk in conjunction with the Festival. The Ghost Walk takes place on Friday night, Oct. 23 – the first night of the Pumpkin Festival, and begins at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church on West Main Street in Norwich. As you arrive at the parish house, there will be a sign-in to wait for the Grim Reaper. The Reaper will then escort you, by lantern light, over to Hayes Street for ghostly tales. Neighbors on Hayes Street open their homes to the “ghosts” who seem to appear by magic as you approach the front doors. Tales of woe and times-gone-by are revealed to the listeners, and you just may feel a shiver up your spine as you learn about some of the former residents of Chenango County. Once the ghost stories are complete, your Grim Reaper guide will then lead you back to the parish house at the church for refreshments. 
This is a great night for spooky tales and family fun, at no charge, all in conjunction with the Pumpkin Festival. Tours for the stories begin at 7 p.m. and continue through to 9 p.m. Come join the fun on Friday, Oct. 23 for the ghostly fun.
The Norwich Pumpkin Festival continues to be a free festival that features plenty of activities to keep everyone in your family entertained. This year’s line-up includes: the Pumpkin Bakeoff, Scarecrow Contest, Pumpkin Pie Eating Contest, Creative Carving Contest, Doggone Scary Contest and a Witch & Warlock Contest. Cash prizes will be given to all winners. In addition, the Festival will feature food vendors, crafters, horse drawn wagon rides, a bounce house, large slides, street performers, a petting zoo, palm readers, a balloon extravaganza, face painting, caricature artists, clowns and plenty of fun.
The Norwich Pumpkin Festival is coordinated through the Norwich Business Improvement Office and is made possible due to the volunteers that make it all happen and the various foundations, businesses and individuals that contribute funds so generously to keep all Festival activities free of charge. Don’t forget to bring your carved pumpkins to add to the pumpkin count, and feel free to take them home at the conclusion of the festivities on Saturday evening so you have them for Halloween. The Festival goes on rain or shine, so please come join the fun!