Event lineup for Laconia Pumpkin Festival offers fun for all ages

LACONIA ― While pumpkins are the star of the upcoming Laconia Pumpkin Festival slated for Saturday, Oct. 25, there is plenty more to do than ogle the 34-foot tower of orange gourds, including a stellar musical performance lineup, activities for kids and adults alike, and a smattering of festive food options.

“I am pleasantly surprised at the progress we’ve made in the time we’ve had to do it. Things are starting to solidify, those fine details are coming to fruition,” said Amy Lovisek, director of recreation and facilities for Laconia Parks & Rec. “It’s gonna be great.”

The one-day event kicks off at 11 a.m. on Oct. 25, downtown. All you have to do is follow the trail of pumpkins, as hundreds will line the streets on full display. The community is challenged to participate by dropping off a painted, carved or decorated pumpkin between 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24, on Beacon Street East near City Hall.

This goes for schools, nonprofits, businesses, families and individuals, Lovisek stressed.

“Be creative, but be cognizant of the fact people will see it,” she said. For those looking to submit numerous pumpkins that spell out a word, Lovisek politely requests the pumpkins be numbered to make it easier to stage them.

To help aid the goal of showcasing at least 900 community pumpkins, Canine Connection is hosting a pumpkin-carving party from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 23. It will be a bring-your-own-pumpkin event, or pay to purchase one, along with pumpkin carving supplies.

Admission to the festival is free, but select activities come with a fee.

A pumpkin pie-eating contest hosted by Lakes Region Community College will take place in front of the train station, beginning at 11 a.m. and occurring every hour until the "celebrity" pie-eating contest at 2 p.m. This year's pies are of the apple variety. 

"We're doing apple pies made right here in the college by the culinary arts department," said Jan Bryson, marketing and public relations manager for LRCC. "I think we’re doing six people per round, so 28 to 30 pies."

Folks can register onsite, earning themselves a free Halloween-themed T-shirt for participating. 

Cornhole bags fly at 11:30 a.m. in the Hector’s Fine Food & Spirits parking lot during a double elimination tournament. To register, call Parks & Rec at 603-524-5046.

The Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad will offer 45-minute train rides boasting plenty of foliage durng Laconia Pumpkin Festival, from 11 a.m. through 5 p.m. Coach and first-class tickets are available, and trains depart from the historic station downtown.

Throughout the day, other events include a car show, a photo booth in front of the pumpkin tower where attendees can purchase an aerial photo of themselves with a jack-o-lantern-filled backdrop, and the 80-plus vendors part of the Great New England Craft Fair.

There are two children’s areas featuring a multitude of activities, as well as an outdoor area with fun like axe-throwing. Musicians and entertainers will perform throughout the day, too, including Stormbirds belly dancers and the Wicked Witches of the Lakes Region.

“We have a massive stage that will be in the Bank NH parking lots with three different bands,” Lovisek said.

Those bands are The Little Mermen & The Princess Pals, Whitney Doucet, who opened at the recent Shania Twain show at BankNH Pavilion, and local band AXIS.

“The Little Mermen & The Princess Pals bring Disney’s most beloved songs to life with a fun, rockin’ twist. Our shows are packed with dazzling costumes, high-energy performances, and epic sing-alongs spanning from classics like ‘Mary Poppins’ and ‘The Lion King’ to modern favorites like ‘Frozen’ and ‘Moana,’” said Alexis Babini, a representative with the tribute band. “At the Pumpkin Festival, families and Disney adults alike can expect a magical experience filled with music, nostalgia and plenty of opportunities to sing and dance along.”

Rounding out the evening will be a fireworks show at 7:45 p.m., with the event concluding at 8 p.m.

Food options abound, ranging from Clyde’s Cupcakes and Glizzy Wagon’s hot dogs to regular fair food staples from Nutmeg Concessions. There will be two beer tents for those over the age of 21, and other beverage vendors like Aroma Joe’s and Bubble Bee bubble tea will also be available.

And while you’re getting ready to head to pumpkinfest, keep your eyes peeled for pumpkin figures of all kinds, dotting businesses, houses and intersections. They’re part of a fundraiser, the Pumpkin Figure Contest, for the Lakes Region Scholarship Foundation, which has donated almost $1 million to area students.

Participants can register online for a fee and enter a figure into one of the many different categories, which include “Cutest,” “Scariest,” “Most Unique” and “Best Business.”

Judges will scope out the pumpkin figure scene Oct. 16-18. A map of all participating pumpkin figures will be made available after Oct. 18, and folks are encouraged to see them all.

“It’s a nice community day and we ask that participants keep their displays up to coincide with [Laconia] Pumpkin Festival,” said Chris Guilmett, executive director of the scholarship foundation. “It's just something very unique.”

For more information on Lakes Region Scholarship Foundation’s Pumpkin Figure Contest, visit lrscholarship.org/pumpkin-figure-contest.

To keep up with the full details on Laconia Pumpkin Festival, visit facebook.com/LaconiaPumpkinFestival or laconiapumpkinfestival.com.