Pumpkin Festival returns for 11th year
NORWICH – The world record for largest pumpkin stands at 1,725 pounds; a 1,089-pounder will be on display Saturday at the 11th Annual Norwich Pumpkin Festival.
Standing about waist high on a 6-foot-tall person, the giant pumpkin was grown by Matt VerSchneider, a resident of Freeville in Tompkins County. It recently took second place at the Great CNY Pumpkin Festival in Oswego. He’ll also be displaying two others – they weigh in at 900.5 and 612 pounds.
“My brother and dad saw the first pumpkin that broke the world record back in 1996,” said VerSchneider, referring to then record holder’s Nathan Zehr of Lowville, the first person to break the 1,000 pound mark. “That was my original inspiration. I thought if they could do it, then I can do it.”
The Pumpkin Festival, held in the city’s East and West parks, begins at noon Friday and runs until Saturday night.
Organizers have brought in roughly 1,000 pumpkins to be carved and lit. They’re also encouraging members of the community to bring their own. Carving stations will be available for large groups.
“It’s a nice festival for all ages,” said longtime volunteer and Entertainment Coordinator Marilyn Oliver. “It’s a free, fun, family event. And it’s great to see kids bring in pumpkins and be a part of it.”
VerSchneider says he grows about five giants per year. It takes about five months from start to finish. For weigh offs and other events, he loads them with a device made from seatbelts and a portable basketball hoop. Before they go bad, he’ll carve them for Halloween and give them to his neighbors.
“People are always full of questions, in awe, when they see them,” he said. “They ask, ‘How did you do that?’”
Throughout the festival, the thousands of pumpkins will be arranged on a pyramid of scaffolds at the center of town and on shelves along the street. At dusk Saturday, they’ll be lit, and the event will conclude with an official pumpkin tally at 9 p.m., followed by a fireworks show.
That the community can take such an interactive role in the festival is what makes it unique, event coordinator Pegi LoPresti said.
“That’s the whole idea,” she said. “And we’re so grateful that this community steps up time and time again.”
The festival is free, featuring live music, dancers, street performers, balloon artists, crafters, costume contests (dogs and people), bake off, wagon rides, a petting zoo, kid’s bounce house, and numerous children’s activities.
“It’s very organized, and packed with activities for the kids, entertainment for all ages, costumes, food and pumpkin treats – including a bake-off,” said volunteer organizer Mary Ann Zagaria. “Free family fun is the main thrust of the event.”
The City of Norwich Fire Department is having a Haunted House at the station on 31 E. Main St. Doors will be open from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday and from 3 to 7 p.m. on Saturday. Tours will run every few minutes.
Hay rides will be available to transport people from East and West Park to City Hall, located next door to the fire house.
The Norwich Family YMCA Halloween parade is at 2 p.m. Saturday. It starts on Beebe Avenue and heads north up Broad Street, ending in the Howard Johnson’s Hotel parking lot.
Parade organizer and Senior YMCA Program Director Tom Revoir said all floats and other participants should begin finding their places by 1:30 p.m. Best float and costume awards will be announced in front of the courthouse after the parade.
Panhandle, an alternative country rock band from Oxford, is the headliner of Friday’s entertainment stage, which also features Fritz’s Polka Band and children’s performer Skip West. Saturday’s headliner is Soul Injection, an Upstate rhythm and brass funk band that plays regularly in the Oneida area.
Food-wise, new to this year’s festival is a pumpkin pie eating contest Saturday. Organizers have also compiled a cook book of the best pumpkin bake-off recipes that will be for sale at the event. A variety of food vendors will be there, too.
The festival will go on rain or shine. “We’ll have covered walkways between tents to help keep people dry in the event of bad weather,” said LoPresti. “So don’t let the rain scare you.” There’s also a large tent over the entertainment area.
Standing about waist high on a 6-foot-tall person, the giant pumpkin was grown by Matt VerSchneider, a resident of Freeville in Tompkins County. It recently took second place at the Great CNY Pumpkin Festival in Oswego. He’ll also be displaying two others – they weigh in at 900.5 and 612 pounds.
“My brother and dad saw the first pumpkin that broke the world record back in 1996,” said VerSchneider, referring to then record holder’s Nathan Zehr of Lowville, the first person to break the 1,000 pound mark. “That was my original inspiration. I thought if they could do it, then I can do it.”
The Pumpkin Festival, held in the city’s East and West parks, begins at noon Friday and runs until Saturday night.
Organizers have brought in roughly 1,000 pumpkins to be carved and lit. They’re also encouraging members of the community to bring their own. Carving stations will be available for large groups.
“It’s a nice festival for all ages,” said longtime volunteer and Entertainment Coordinator Marilyn Oliver. “It’s a free, fun, family event. And it’s great to see kids bring in pumpkins and be a part of it.”
VerSchneider says he grows about five giants per year. It takes about five months from start to finish. For weigh offs and other events, he loads them with a device made from seatbelts and a portable basketball hoop. Before they go bad, he’ll carve them for Halloween and give them to his neighbors.
“People are always full of questions, in awe, when they see them,” he said. “They ask, ‘How did you do that?’”
Throughout the festival, the thousands of pumpkins will be arranged on a pyramid of scaffolds at the center of town and on shelves along the street. At dusk Saturday, they’ll be lit, and the event will conclude with an official pumpkin tally at 9 p.m., followed by a fireworks show.
That the community can take such an interactive role in the festival is what makes it unique, event coordinator Pegi LoPresti said.
“That’s the whole idea,” she said. “And we’re so grateful that this community steps up time and time again.”
The festival is free, featuring live music, dancers, street performers, balloon artists, crafters, costume contests (dogs and people), bake off, wagon rides, a petting zoo, kid’s bounce house, and numerous children’s activities.
“It’s very organized, and packed with activities for the kids, entertainment for all ages, costumes, food and pumpkin treats – including a bake-off,” said volunteer organizer Mary Ann Zagaria. “Free family fun is the main thrust of the event.”
The City of Norwich Fire Department is having a Haunted House at the station on 31 E. Main St. Doors will be open from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday and from 3 to 7 p.m. on Saturday. Tours will run every few minutes.
Hay rides will be available to transport people from East and West Park to City Hall, located next door to the fire house.
The Norwich Family YMCA Halloween parade is at 2 p.m. Saturday. It starts on Beebe Avenue and heads north up Broad Street, ending in the Howard Johnson’s Hotel parking lot.
Parade organizer and Senior YMCA Program Director Tom Revoir said all floats and other participants should begin finding their places by 1:30 p.m. Best float and costume awards will be announced in front of the courthouse after the parade.
Panhandle, an alternative country rock band from Oxford, is the headliner of Friday’s entertainment stage, which also features Fritz’s Polka Band and children’s performer Skip West. Saturday’s headliner is Soul Injection, an Upstate rhythm and brass funk band that plays regularly in the Oneida area.
Food-wise, new to this year’s festival is a pumpkin pie eating contest Saturday. Organizers have also compiled a cook book of the best pumpkin bake-off recipes that will be for sale at the event. A variety of food vendors will be there, too.
The festival will go on rain or shine. “We’ll have covered walkways between tents to help keep people dry in the event of bad weather,” said LoPresti. “So don’t let the rain scare you.” There’s also a large tent over the entertainment area.
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