|
Published: September 25, 2008 01:31 pm
PumpkinFest is expected to be bigger than ever
By MICHELLE MILLER
Staff Writer
Cooperstown’s PumpkinFest gets bigger
and bigger each year, and this year is expected
to be the largest since its start five years ago.
The annual festival is organized by the
Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce, and office
manager Elise Schiellack said organizers
are hoping for not only the biggest turnout of
spectators this year, but also more pumpkins
than ever before. Schiellack said the largest
prize package in the country is being offered,
and she believes this will attract more pumpkin
growers from afar to come join the festivities.
The grand prize, which will go to the
grower of the largest pumpkin, is $4,000.
Schiellack said several towns and villages
hold fall festivals, but none are quite like
PumpkinFest.
``It’s just unique,’’ she said. ``It is not every
day people get to see giant pumpkins and it is
especially neat to see them racing in the lake.
It is not something every town has.’’
The festival will kick off Saturday morning
at 10 a.m., with a weigh-off of giant pumpkins
and other vegetables in the Doubleday Field
Parking Lot. Contestants will compete for over
$8,000 in prize money.
Last year’s winner of the pumpkin weighoff
was Bill Bobier from Windsor, N.Y. His
pumpkin weighed a whopping 1,376 pounds,
only 31 pounds short of the state record.
Randy Sundstrom, of Walton, N.Y., came a
close second with a 1,367.5 pound pumpkin.
Third place went to a 1,354.5 pound orange
giant raised by Rich Vogler of North Branch,
N.Y.
The Pumpkin Regatta is by far the most
popular event, said Schiellack. On Sunday, giant
pumpkins will be hollowed out in Lakefront
Park and made seaworthy for racing
across the lake. Racing heats will begin at 11
a.m. There will be three heats, and race times
will depend on how long
each race takes, said Schiellack.
For those adventurers
out there who would like to
paddle a pumpkin, there
are still sponsorships available
at the $250 level.
Sponsorship is also
available without getting
into a pumpkin boat at the
$25 and $50 level. If interested
in sponsoring the
community event or if interested
in making a general
donation call the
Chamber office at 547-
6015.
Other favorite activities
at PumpkinFest include
the craft fair, pumpkin
tasting hosted by the Cooperstown
Methodist
Church, and food booths,
said Schiellack.
The event is great for everyone
— young and old,
added Schiellack. She said
kids typically enjoy the
bouncy inflatable toys, the
magician and the juggler,
all which will be back again
this year.
For the first time, people
will have the opportunity to
enjoy some of the sounds of
the Cooperstown Concert
Series during Pumpkin-
Fest. The concert of the series,
which will consist of
bluegrass music, will be
held Sunday at noon at
Lakefront Park.
``We are expecting a good
crowd for that,’’ said Schiellack.
During last year’s pumpkin
weigh-off, officials announced
that the world record
had been beaten at the
Topsfield Fair in Topsfield,
Mass., by a 1,689 pound
beast.
John Bullis, Executive
Director of the Chamber of
Commerce at the time, said
it was disappointing to
have the record broken at a
different location on the
same day Cooperstown was
hosting the same event.
However, he added growers
would be working hard to
come close to the 1,689
pound record for this year’s
PumpkinFest.
|
|