SOMERSWORTH –
For families looking for something memorable to do together, the 8th annual Somersworth Pumpkin Festival might be just right!
Organizers of the event have worked hard over the last few years to gear the festival toward children of all ages, offering activities that parents and children can do together, according to Festival Director Darryl Cauchon — All with one common theme — pumpkin, pumpkin, and more pumpkins!.
The event, set to take place on Saturday, Oct. 9 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., will feature pumpkin carving, pumpkin painting, a pumpkin catapult, pumpkin smashing, pumpkin bowling, pumpkin basketball shooting, pumpkin putt putt golf, pumpkin masking making, scarecrow making, pumpkin pie eating contests, stage entertainment, a Pumpkin Parade, among a myriad of other activities.
With crowds continuing to increase dramatically over the past four years, Cauchon said they decided to double the number of pumpkins ordered over last year, double the amount of scarecrow making supplies, bump up the cookies and cupcakes for the pumpkin cookie/cupcake decorating area, just to name a few, in an effort to meet demands.
“There’s something for everyone at our Pumpkin Festival,” Cauchon said. “Families can carve a pumpkin together, make a scarecrow together, paint a pumpkin together, take a hay ride together, get their picture taken together with an autumn backdrop, march in the parade together.”
“Yet an older boy or girl can still have fun on their own by smashing a pumpkin, bowling with a pumpkin ball, triggering the potato launch gun or pumpkin catapult, or carving a pumpkin on their own,” Cauchon added.
The festival takes place in front of the Somersworth Plaza on Main Street, near General Electric and the Public Library and will be held rain or shine. All pumpkins and supplies are included within the cost of the $10 bracelet for children, with adults attending for free.
New this year will be the potato launch, a “Mummy Wrap” contest in which teams will try to wrap their “mummy” from head to toe with paper towels, and a bead necklace making area. Additional stage acts will also perform, including the Extreme Jump Roping Team, the Dance Envy dancers, the Murray Irish Dance Academy and the Country Clogging Express.
The Doug Mitchell Band will return to highlight the main stage, which will also feature local choruses from the Tri-City Christian Academy and Somersworth High School. Tricky Dick the Magician will perform at 3 p.m.
The popular Jack’s Dash will take place, allowing festival-goers to trick-or-treat at a number of participating downtown stores. Costumes are encouraged but not required to take part in this, as well as the Pet and Pumpkin Parade, which kicks off promptly at 3:45 p.m.
Amato’s Restaurant will be selling pizza and subs, and the Boy Scouts will be serving up hot dogs and hamburgers. The Lions Club plans to offer fried dough and other groups, primarily from the high school, will have cotton candy, nachos, chowder, and other items up for sale. Somersworth Girl Scout Troop 20095 will also be participating in the festival with a chili cook-off to raise funds for their group.
For the third year, the event will fall under the umbrella of the Somersworth Festival Association, which took over following the closure of the city’s Main Street Program. “The SFA helps out a lot, most of all by allowing the use of their large tents, stage, their tables, chairs, and a host of other equipment needed to make the festival run smoothly,” Cauchon said. “A strong contingent of their members also pitch in with volunteering throughout the day as well.”
Volunteers are still being sought to help out the day of the festival and anyone interested in lending a hand, even for an hour or two, should call Cauchon at 817-9751 or e-mail him at dcauchon@somersworth.com or Anna Houde at annahoude@yahoo.com.
Photo caption: The 8th Annual Somersworth Pumpkin Festival offers pumpkins galore! (MetroCreative photo)
For families looking for something memorable to do together, the 8th annual Somersworth Pumpkin Festival might be just right!
Organizers of the event have worked hard over the last few years to gear the festival toward children of all ages, offering activities that parents and children can do together, according to Festival Director Darryl Cauchon — All with one common theme — pumpkin, pumpkin, and more pumpkins!.
The event, set to take place on Saturday, Oct. 9 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., will feature pumpkin carving, pumpkin painting, a pumpkin catapult, pumpkin smashing, pumpkin bowling, pumpkin basketball shooting, pumpkin putt putt golf, pumpkin masking making, scarecrow making, pumpkin pie eating contests, stage entertainment, a Pumpkin Parade, among a myriad of other activities.
With crowds continuing to increase dramatically over the past four years, Cauchon said they decided to double the number of pumpkins ordered over last year, double the amount of scarecrow making supplies, bump up the cookies and cupcakes for the pumpkin cookie/cupcake decorating area, just to name a few, in an effort to meet demands.
“There’s something for everyone at our Pumpkin Festival,” Cauchon said. “Families can carve a pumpkin together, make a scarecrow together, paint a pumpkin together, take a hay ride together, get their picture taken together with an autumn backdrop, march in the parade together.”
“Yet an older boy or girl can still have fun on their own by smashing a pumpkin, bowling with a pumpkin ball, triggering the potato launch gun or pumpkin catapult, or carving a pumpkin on their own,” Cauchon added.
The festival takes place in front of the Somersworth Plaza on Main Street, near General Electric and the Public Library and will be held rain or shine. All pumpkins and supplies are included within the cost of the $10 bracelet for children, with adults attending for free.
New this year will be the potato launch, a “Mummy Wrap” contest in which teams will try to wrap their “mummy” from head to toe with paper towels, and a bead necklace making area. Additional stage acts will also perform, including the Extreme Jump Roping Team, the Dance Envy dancers, the Murray Irish Dance Academy and the Country Clogging Express.
The Doug Mitchell Band will return to highlight the main stage, which will also feature local choruses from the Tri-City Christian Academy and Somersworth High School. Tricky Dick the Magician will perform at 3 p.m.
The popular Jack’s Dash will take place, allowing festival-goers to trick-or-treat at a number of participating downtown stores. Costumes are encouraged but not required to take part in this, as well as the Pet and Pumpkin Parade, which kicks off promptly at 3:45 p.m.
Amato’s Restaurant will be selling pizza and subs, and the Boy Scouts will be serving up hot dogs and hamburgers. The Lions Club plans to offer fried dough and other groups, primarily from the high school, will have cotton candy, nachos, chowder, and other items up for sale. Somersworth Girl Scout Troop 20095 will also be participating in the festival with a chili cook-off to raise funds for their group.
For the third year, the event will fall under the umbrella of the Somersworth Festival Association, which took over following the closure of the city’s Main Street Program. “The SFA helps out a lot, most of all by allowing the use of their large tents, stage, their tables, chairs, and a host of other equipment needed to make the festival run smoothly,” Cauchon said. “A strong contingent of their members also pitch in with volunteering throughout the day as well.”
Volunteers are still being sought to help out the day of the festival and anyone interested in lending a hand, even for an hour or two, should call Cauchon at 817-9751 or e-mail him at dcauchon@somersworth.com or Anna Houde at annahoude@yahoo.com.
Photo caption: The 8th Annual Somersworth Pumpkin Festival offers pumpkins galore! (MetroCreative photo)
