4 minute read
All Things Pumpkin
BY ELISA GONZALES VERDI
Pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin patches, jack-o-lanterns. Pumpkins reign supreme every October. Amid the fall festivals celebrating the foliage and harvest season, New Hampshire has two storied festivals that celebrate all things pumpkin.
New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival • Laconia
Give or take a COVID year, the New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival has been a Laconia staple since 2015. The event is put on for the community, by the community, and celebrates all things pumpkin.
Karmen Gifford, the president of the Lakes Region Chamber (which is the official organizer of the NH Pumpkin Festival) says that the event doesn’t just celebrate pumpkins — it also celebrates artistry.
“The majority of this year’s events will take place on Saturday, but displays will be put up earlier in the week,” Gifford says.
One of the festival’s biggest attractions is the pumpkin carving competition, which is all about artistry.
“We’ve seen people punch holes use dotting in their designs,” Gifford says. “We’ve also seen people cut out parts of the pumpkins and adhere them on to make 3D faces. Some people carving them with chain saws, which is a loud display.”
Annually, Gifford sees hundreds of pumpkins carved by businesses, students and carving professionals alike. If you’re looking to up your pumpkin-carving game this year, here are her tips for carving a pumpkin that you’ll be proud to display.
1. Be creative
Decide if you want to do a scary pumpkin or a whimsical one before you carve.
2. Pick the right pumpkin
Make sure it’s the right size for what you want to cut. If you’re making a scary pumpkin, the ones with the big bumps can add to the character of what you’re carving and can play into the design.
3. Stencil and sketch
If you have a vision for your design, draw it out and stencil it on the pumpkin before you start carving. Make sure you factor in what lights you want to use inside of the pumpkin, because that can have an effect on your overall design. You have to have a plan, or, if you’re feeling creative, just decide right then and there and see how it comes out!
The 40th Return of the Pumpkin People • Jackson
For the past 40 years, pumpkin people have taken over the town of Jackson. For a full month, Pumpkin People make Jackson their home, and they can be found all over town. Visitors can pick up a map and take themselves on a self-guided tour of scenic Jackson, while spotting the Pumpkin People along the way.
“The Pumpkin People were created to help get people up to Jackson during the fall foliage season,” says Kathleen Flammia, the executive director of the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce.
What started as a small event with 12 participating businesses and a hand-drawn map, but in the past 21 years, has grown into an event that attracts well over 30,000 visitors to the Jackson area every year.
Flammia saw the Pumpkin People’s potential, and knew that it could be something huge.
“The Snowflake Inn, The Inn at Jackson and Inn at Ellis River put a lot of work into their pumpkin people,” Flammia says. “The displays were incredible, and people started joining in. Each year they became cleverer and more exciting to see. The anticipation was growing every year, and the state asked us to extend (the event) until the end of the month. (Every year) it keeps growing, and has a life of its own.”
For their 40th, the Pumpkin People will return for the entire month of October, but the Jackson Chamber of Commerce has plans for a full two-month celebration, opening with a kickoff party that was held on September 1 and runs through October 31.
“All month long, different establishments are hosting pumpkin events,” Flammia says.
There’s no shortage of things to do during the festival. From the All Things Pumpkin Festival, the pumpkin-carving competition, the trail of terror and the all-things-pumpkin tour, there is pumpkin fun all month long.
“If you find the golden pumpkin, you could win a great vacation in Jackson,” Flammia says. “You can win a lot of great prizes and meet the businesses.”
“All the Pumpkin People will be ready all through October,” Flammia adds. “Make sure that you vote for people’s choice. The overall winner gets to be on the cover of the map next year!”
