New time for old traditions at this year’s Pumpkin Fest
While the autumn season might be one of the furthest things from the minds of many locals, members on the Pumpkin Festival Committee are thinking ahead and planning big changes for this year’s annual Pumpkin Festival that include moving the event to an earlier date.
This year, Pumpkin Fest will begin Friday, October 12 and run through Saturday, October 13 – two weeks sooner than the event’s conventional date on the weekend before Halloween. While the change is certainly breaking away from a long-standing tradition in the city, it’s all part of an effort to better the event, increase participation, avoid interference with the high school fall sports playoff schedule, and keep the festival exciting and new, explained members of the Pumpkin Festival Committee.
This fall marks the 14th year that Pumpkin Fest will light up the downtown area, and a new time frame for the event doesn’t mean the end of fun, old customs, noted Pegi LoPresti, Pumpkin Festival coordinator. As always, one of the main spectacles of this year’s pumpkin fest will be the thousands of carved pumpkins atop of scaffolding lining the sidewalks around East and West Parks, live music performance by various artists, dancers, street performers, caricature artists, face painters, balloon artists, crafters, contests and children’s activities.
This year will also bring back community favorites like a local bake-off, a scarecrow building contest, and the brand-new “Oh My Gourd” creative carving contest – a judging of the best carving design in a pumpkin, squash or any other gourd a sculptor can use.
Pumpkin Fest began with the hope of breaking the Guinness Book of World Records for the most lit jack-o-lanterns in one place, and while the community has never pulled enough pumpkins together to break that record, the family-friendly ritual has left a lasting impact on most local residents. Since it’s beginning, the festival has become less about breaking the record and more about maintaining a fall tradition.
“We still want to keep this a free, family fun event,” said this year’s Pumpkin Fest Committee president Marilyn Oliver. “That’s always been our main focus.”
The Pumpkin Festival Committee relies on community volunteers for a successful event every year. Anyone interested in set-up, take-down or offering any assistance during the festivities can find out more by calling the Norwich Business Improvement District at 336-1811 or visiting the Pumpkin Fest website, www.norwichpumpkinfestival.com.
This year, Pumpkin Fest will begin Friday, October 12 and run through Saturday, October 13 – two weeks sooner than the event’s conventional date on the weekend before Halloween. While the change is certainly breaking away from a long-standing tradition in the city, it’s all part of an effort to better the event, increase participation, avoid interference with the high school fall sports playoff schedule, and keep the festival exciting and new, explained members of the Pumpkin Festival Committee.
This fall marks the 14th year that Pumpkin Fest will light up the downtown area, and a new time frame for the event doesn’t mean the end of fun, old customs, noted Pegi LoPresti, Pumpkin Festival coordinator. As always, one of the main spectacles of this year’s pumpkin fest will be the thousands of carved pumpkins atop of scaffolding lining the sidewalks around East and West Parks, live music performance by various artists, dancers, street performers, caricature artists, face painters, balloon artists, crafters, contests and children’s activities.
This year will also bring back community favorites like a local bake-off, a scarecrow building contest, and the brand-new “Oh My Gourd” creative carving contest – a judging of the best carving design in a pumpkin, squash or any other gourd a sculptor can use.
Pumpkin Fest began with the hope of breaking the Guinness Book of World Records for the most lit jack-o-lanterns in one place, and while the community has never pulled enough pumpkins together to break that record, the family-friendly ritual has left a lasting impact on most local residents. Since it’s beginning, the festival has become less about breaking the record and more about maintaining a fall tradition.
“We still want to keep this a free, family fun event,” said this year’s Pumpkin Fest Committee president Marilyn Oliver. “That’s always been our main focus.”
The Pumpkin Festival Committee relies on community volunteers for a successful event every year. Anyone interested in set-up, take-down or offering any assistance during the festivities can find out more by calling the Norwich Business Improvement District at 336-1811 or visiting the Pumpkin Fest website, www.norwichpumpkinfestival.com.
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