The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Former flower queen Amy Harrison rides the pumpkin coach at the 2012 parade. Photos courtesy of Tulip Radio
The centre of Spalding will be transformed into a colourful celebration of all things autumn at next week’s Pumpkin Festival.
The popular event takes place on Friday, October 3 and promises to be another spectacular day out.
The festivities – which have been a popular diary date for over a decade – are organised by South Holland District Council, sponsored by Spalding firm David Bowman Pumpkins Ltd and supported by the Rotary Club of Spalding and Welland and Spalding Lions.
Coun Howard Johnson, district council portfolio holder for community, said: “We hope to see as many people there as possible. It is always a fun-filled event.”
Local schools and groups are encouraged to take part in the build-up and festival itself.
Mr Bowman, who is Europe’s largest producer of pumpkins, donates thousands of the fruit to schools and pupils can carve and decorate them before taking their creepy creations along to the big day.
Children get into the spirit of last year’s Pumpkin Parade by dressing up.
Families can join in a fancy dress competition, in front of the stage at about 5.30pm, where one lucky winner will lead the enchanting lantern parade in the magical pumpkin coach.
Everyone is invited to go along with their pumpkins, flags, masks and costumes to join the main event of the day’s festivities which starts at 6.30pm.
The festival will also feature a variety of daytime entertainment from 11am, including a charity market, street entertainment, activities and competitions.
Music lovers should look out for The Courgettes as they perform a menu of ska, jazz, swing and rock ‘n’ roll.
You can also join craft workshops by Makendo to produce a piece of pumpkin themed artwork that you can wear, carry or wave in the parade.
In the evening, there will be live entertainment from local artists including Vibe Youth Choir, Bourne borderers and Radius 45.
With pumpkins taking centre stage there will also be recipes and cooking demonstrations to pick up cooking tips for soups, hotpots, and cakes.
Meanwhile, The Crescent Traders’ Association’s annual pumpkin competition will see ten British wildlife woodland creatures hidden in the shop windows in The Crescent, Vine Street and Francis Street.
Entry forms can be collected from Adams Butchers, Daisies, Bookmark, Revills Shoes and Inkleys Menswear.
The climax of the night is a spectacular fireworks display from the top of the South Holland Centre at 7.30pm.
For details on road closures visit www.sholland.gov.uk
