Newspaper Page Text
Hometown 1
Spotlishfl
As dusk falls, a wondrous sight
illuminates downtown Keene, Nil., as more titan 22,(XX) glow
ing and grinning jack-o'-lanterns welcome 50,(XX) people to the
annual Keene Pumpkin Festival.
Tlie orange gourds have put die New England college town
of 22,565 on the map and in die Guinness Bonk of Records, says
Suzanne Woodward of Center Stage Cheshire Giunty, which
organizes the festival held every third Saturday in October.
Since its beginnings in 1991 with 6(X) jack-o'-lanterns, the
festival has set a record for the most jack-o’-lanterns—2B,9s3 in
2(X)3—assembled and lit in one place. The festival began as a way
ATTENTION
DIABETIC METER
RECALL ALERT
So far in 2006 there have been
16 manufacturer notifications.
There have been over 20 different
Class I High Risk Recalls for
diabetic meters issued by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration in
2005. A Class 1 recall means that
there is a reasonable chance that
the product will cause serious
health problems or death. Most
major diabetic meter
manufactures have had a recall in
the past 2 years! YOUR
CURRENT METER MAY BE
INVOLVED IN A RECALL.
> jg cT- o'-
J uujj jiiQjJ
Accuracy and consistency are
extremely important when you
test your blood!
If you have Medicare call us
now to get a NO COST to you
replacement meter and new
testing supplies! Sorry, we are
unable to help you if you are in
an HMO.
Call Discount Diabetic at
1-800-853-6127.
If you have Arthritis,
Medicare will cover a large, moist
heating pad for you at NO COST
to you. 'Deductible and copay may apply.
Call 1-800-853-6127 Now!
"gwß| jj" | .1 ij *
The town square is decorated with some of the 22,153 jack-o’-lantems carved for last year’s Keene (N.H.) Pumpkin Festival.
to boost downtown business while providing family fun. and has grown
to attract pumpkin-toting visitors from across the nation.
The thousands of pumpkins arrive with the folks who come,
"including many who host neighborhood carving parties and invite
family and friends each fall," says Woodward, "and local businesses
whose employees help boost the count."
Mgr /JS. *
Suzanne Woodward
Even Keene Mayor Mike Blastos joins in, bringing pumpkins to citv
council meetings for members to carve during the week leading up the
festival. “Since the whole town pulls together to make this happen. City
Hall should pitch in. too," Blastos says. "I get as excited as a kid waiting
to see what the count will be. and it s great to watch thousands of people
having such a gotxl time.
Festival officials keep track of the number of jack-o'-lanterns at lqg-in
booths. The daylong event even has a carving station stocked with thou
sands of gourds tor festival-goers to carve and contribute to tire count.
Jack-o'-lanterns —from scary to silly—rise high in the festival’s trade
mark “Pumpkin Towers," built on scaffolding up to tour stories tall at sev
eral downtown locations. Center Stage board members oversee the work
of tour local construction companies that build the pumpkin skyscrapers,
a job that begins the day before the festival and continues until the final
count is tallied and verified by the mayor and .in independent accounting
agency. The number—22,ls3 in 2005 —is announced just before the
event's fireworks finale.
"It takes almost 100 of our nearly 900 volunteers just to keep all those
jack-o-lanterns lit." Woodward says. In recent years, due to sheer volume,
tlx- pumpkins are illuminated with electric lights rather than candles.
These displays are a one-of-a-kind sight, says Michael Estes of
Elkton, Md. (pop. 11,893), attending the festival for the first time
with sons Anthony, 12, Christian, 7, and Joseph, 6. "The genu
inely friendly townspeople seemed to go out of their wav to make
us feel welcome, too." he savs.
Three stages of entertainment and activities, ranging from a
"pumpkin-mobile" and hayrides to seed-spitting and pie-eating
contests, attract all ages. Mouth-watering smells of pumpkin pie. hot
cider and pumpkin fried dough waft from dozens of booths. Pump
kin whoopee pies are usually a sell-out, and the maple-syrup cotton
candy was a big hit with the Estes family. All vendor profits benefit
children's chanties and local service organizations.
b\ PH Yl 1 18 EDGER EY RING
Photos by Cing W orden
Keenes students play a big role, too. About
6,000 pumpkins grown bv Newmont Farm of
Bradford, Vt„ are purchased by Center Stage
and local business sponsors and delivered to
Keene schools to be carved in classrooms and
displayed in Keene's Central Square. Keene
State College's student senate holds a "pump
kin lobotomy” to add another 1,500 or so to
the count, says senior Adam Castor, who’s been
a festival volunteer since childhood.
Page 10
• w w w .americanprotile.co m