Full day of Halloween festivities planned for October 30
A jack-o-lantern display in front of the Chenango County Courthouse from the 2018 Pumpkin Festival. This year, the Norwich B.I.D. are reviving the beloved "Pumpkinfest" with the all-new Norwitch Fall Festival, which will occur in conjunction with Saturday in the Park with Chobani, the YMCA Halloween Parade, and Trunk or Treat. (ES File Photo)
NORWICH — The Norwich Business Improvement District (B.I.D.) has been planning fall festivities for this month, and are bringing back some old favorites as well as a new seasonal festival. The first ever "Norwitch Fall Festival" will take place on October 30, beginning at 9 a.m. in conjunction with Saturday in the Park with Chobani.
"So years ago we obviously had the Norwich Pumpkin Festival. So this year we're gonna try to change it up, try to bring a little bit of that back and do the Norwitch Festival," said Norwich B.I.D. Executive Committee member Mindy Chawgo.
Attendees can expect a full day of Halloween fun, including face painting, magic tricks, music, and more, according to Chawgo.
"We're going to have pumpkin carving, we're going to have a ton of kids’ activities," she said. "We're gonna have a balloon artist and face painting, we're going to have some magic down there, we'll have some Disney characters wandering around ... We're going to have some music on the stage, have a bunch of kids’ stuff to incorporate everybody in the whole day."
But the fun doesn't stop there. Several other local Halloween events will also be in East and West park on October 30. Guests can browse the locally made wares at Saturday in the Park, watch the YMCA Halloween Parade, and participate in the second annual Trunk or Treat, also put on by the B.I.D.
"Festivities will start at 9 a.m., starting with Saturday in the Park, and then they'll end at 6 o'clock [p.m.], and the Trunk or Treat will be the 4 to 6 [p.m.]," Chawgo said, and explained that Trunk or Treat will be held in a separate area. "It'll be in the Frontier parking lot. So we do it right out there so that it's not even on the street. So it's just kind of tucked away for everybody."
Trunk or Treat was started in 2020, as a way for families to celebrate Halloween while still remaining safe from COVID-19.
"Last year we started this because we felt like people couldn't safely go trick or treating. So we decided to gather with all the local businesses and do a Trunk or Treat, so it was a safe family environment for everyone to come," Chawgo explained. "We contacted like the churches, and the small businesses, and like the Youth Bureau, and just a bunch of different people that would safely decorate their vehicles and be in costume."
"It's gonna be a really nice just safe end to the day, where everybody can bring their bags and be in costume and just do trick or treating," she added.
Ultimately, Chawgo said the new festival, and the other events happening in conjunction with it, are meant to create a family-friendly atmosphere where there is something for everyone.
"The kids are across the street getting their face painted and, you know, doing the balloon artist and watching the magic show. And the parents can be there listening to music and shopping at Saturday in the Park. And then later in the day they can finish by wandering through the line and getting their treats for trick or treating," she said.
The Norwitch Fall Festival is sponsored by Chobani, but was also made possible by funding from the B.I.D., as well as leftover funds from the former Norwich Pumpkin Festival.
"Chobani is still the sponsor, but we also have funds from the old Pumpkin Festival that we're using, which is amazing cause we have that budget left. We were willing to turn it over to anybody who wanted to really help do this festival, but that was three years ago and really nobody's kind of showed a huge interest," said Chawgo. "So we decided this year we could use those funds through the B.I.D. and through the old Pumpkin Festival and make some things happen downtown."
While the festival may be on it's first year, Chawgo said she hopes to see it return and grow in the future.
"I think that we're going to try to, this year, do it a little bit smaller, and then next year do it a little bigger. And hopefully this will pique some interest for people who want to sit on the board of the new kind of Pumpkin Festival," Chawgo explained. "So I think this will hopefully intrigue people to say, hey, I really miss that and I really want that back in our community."
"So that's our goal, if we just brought it back like a little teaser and say, hey, this is what we have potential for, you know?" she added. "It's kind of like a fun filled day that we could all stay in this community and stay together, so I think it's a great stepping stone for next year, and hopefully it'll be a little bit bigger."
"So years ago we obviously had the Norwich Pumpkin Festival. So this year we're gonna try to change it up, try to bring a little bit of that back and do the Norwitch Festival," said Norwich B.I.D. Executive Committee member Mindy Chawgo.
Attendees can expect a full day of Halloween fun, including face painting, magic tricks, music, and more, according to Chawgo.
"We're going to have pumpkin carving, we're going to have a ton of kids’ activities," she said. "We're gonna have a balloon artist and face painting, we're going to have some magic down there, we'll have some Disney characters wandering around ... We're going to have some music on the stage, have a bunch of kids’ stuff to incorporate everybody in the whole day."
But the fun doesn't stop there. Several other local Halloween events will also be in East and West park on October 30. Guests can browse the locally made wares at Saturday in the Park, watch the YMCA Halloween Parade, and participate in the second annual Trunk or Treat, also put on by the B.I.D.
"Festivities will start at 9 a.m., starting with Saturday in the Park, and then they'll end at 6 o'clock [p.m.], and the Trunk or Treat will be the 4 to 6 [p.m.]," Chawgo said, and explained that Trunk or Treat will be held in a separate area. "It'll be in the Frontier parking lot. So we do it right out there so that it's not even on the street. So it's just kind of tucked away for everybody."
Trunk or Treat was started in 2020, as a way for families to celebrate Halloween while still remaining safe from COVID-19.
"Last year we started this because we felt like people couldn't safely go trick or treating. So we decided to gather with all the local businesses and do a Trunk or Treat, so it was a safe family environment for everyone to come," Chawgo explained. "We contacted like the churches, and the small businesses, and like the Youth Bureau, and just a bunch of different people that would safely decorate their vehicles and be in costume."
"It's gonna be a really nice just safe end to the day, where everybody can bring their bags and be in costume and just do trick or treating," she added.
Ultimately, Chawgo said the new festival, and the other events happening in conjunction with it, are meant to create a family-friendly atmosphere where there is something for everyone.
"The kids are across the street getting their face painted and, you know, doing the balloon artist and watching the magic show. And the parents can be there listening to music and shopping at Saturday in the Park. And then later in the day they can finish by wandering through the line and getting their treats for trick or treating," she said.
The Norwitch Fall Festival is sponsored by Chobani, but was also made possible by funding from the B.I.D., as well as leftover funds from the former Norwich Pumpkin Festival.
"Chobani is still the sponsor, but we also have funds from the old Pumpkin Festival that we're using, which is amazing cause we have that budget left. We were willing to turn it over to anybody who wanted to really help do this festival, but that was three years ago and really nobody's kind of showed a huge interest," said Chawgo. "So we decided this year we could use those funds through the B.I.D. and through the old Pumpkin Festival and make some things happen downtown."
While the festival may be on it's first year, Chawgo said she hopes to see it return and grow in the future.
"I think that we're going to try to, this year, do it a little bit smaller, and then next year do it a little bigger. And hopefully this will pique some interest for people who want to sit on the board of the new kind of Pumpkin Festival," Chawgo explained. "So I think this will hopefully intrigue people to say, hey, I really miss that and I really want that back in our community."
"So that's our goal, if we just brought it back like a little teaser and say, hey, this is what we have potential for, you know?" she added. "It's kind of like a fun filled day that we could all stay in this community and stay together, so I think it's a great stepping stone for next year, and hopefully it'll be a little bit bigger."
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