BY STEVEN ANDREWS
The giant pumpkins are coming back to downtown, thanks to an army of volunteers and sponsors, as well as the return of the Main Street Program’s director.
The annual Pumpkin Regatta will take place in and around the Common on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 13 and 14.
This year’s regatta features many returning events, as well as a host of new ones. The popular regatta, where giant pumpkins are hollowed out and taken down the river by individuals, will be the final event of the weekend.
Robbie Grady, who resumed as director in September, said the event not only provides entertainment, it also serves to bring the community together.
“There is so much to see and do, it’s very much the kind of event where you can take part in things, not just be an observer,” she said. “And, since there are different things happening on Saturday and Sunday, you really do want to be there both days. We really have tried to retain that sense of community, and I think people, in their heart of hearts, are happy to be able to make that connection.”
New events include a book and ephemera sale by The Vestree, Art Happens (9 N. Mast, hosted by Main Street Art Team), the carved or decorated pumpkin contest on the Common, an open house at Glen Lake Animal Hospital, as well as new vendors and games on Sunday.
There are also many returning favorites such as the pumpkin weigh-off with the state’s Giant Pumpkin Growers Association, a doggie costume contest, St. Matthew’s Church flea market, a chicken barbecue, an art show-off, catapulting, a pumpkin pie-eating contest and a pumpkin cook-off.
Though Grady noted that a lot of hard work has gone into the planning so far, it is not enough by itself to make the regatta a success.
“Putting an event together requires a lot of enthusiasm from our volunteers, and good record keeping from year-to-year so that we know what to improve on,” she said. “Generous sponsors make the event possible. And, of course, it takes a community that supports the event in so many ways.”
The regatta kicks off Saturday at 7 a.m. with the flea market, and continues until 4 p.m. when the vendor booths and games will close. It will run from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, with the giant pumpkin regatta beginning at 3 p.m.
The event not only delivers a weekend of activity for the community, it also pays off in the future by providing funding for more projects.
“Thanks to the incredible efforts of our organization team – Gale Cheever, Brenda Letourneau, Judy DesMeules and Jim Beauchemin – we really are able to raise money to not only pay for the event, but also help provide funding for the rest of the program’s revitalization efforts,” she said. “At the same time, we are able to give good exposure to our sponsors, so it’s a win-win.”