Pumpkin to talk about: Pumpkinfest schedule fills up ahead of event Oct. 23-24

LACONIA — Parks and Recreation Director Amy Lovisek updated the city council on preparations for the two-day Pumpkin Festival, coming up on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23-24, during the council meeting Monday night.

Lovisek said Friday will serve as a soft opening for the festival in the Main Street parking lot, featuring food trucks, beverage tents, a dinner train from the Laconia Railroad Station at Veterans Square, and three live bands, including Meatloaf’s band. Although the pumpkin tower will be up on Friday, it will be lit Saturday evening. Friday’s festivities will conclude at 10 p.m.

Lovisek said the next morning, vendors will be setting up starting at 6:30 a.m. The festival will commence at 11 a.m., and feature a pie-eating contest. At 11:30 a.m. there will also be a kids costume parade and contest from Hanover Street to the pumpkin tower, and another parade and costume contest for dogs at 2 p.m.

Every 15 minutes throughout the day, a shuttle bus — a new addition this year — will take people to and from Laconia High School and City Hall for parking, as Main Street and surrounding roads will be closed.

Throughout the afternoon, festivities and attractions will include a cornhole tournament, the return of the Stormbirds Belly Dance group, and stein hoisting at 2:45 p.m.

Stein hoisting is typically a strength contest where competitors hold a full, one-liter beer stein with their arm straight, parallel to the ground. At Pumpkinfest, there will be water in the steins, and the winner will receive glassware from Boston Beer Co.

New this year is the rubber duck race, put on as a joint fundraiser with the Belknap Mill at 3 p.m. Festival organizers are renting ducks from the Meredith Lions Club. All proceeds from the rubber duck race go toward purchasing the festival’s own ducks for coming years. Lovisek said this way, in future years, proceeds from the race will directly benefit the Pumpkin Festival and Belknap Mill.

Winners will receive cash prizes.

Pumpkinfest is adding more fundraising efforts this year. The festival is partnering with Celebrate Laconia to hold a ticketed raffle at the information booth, and splitting the proceeds.

“People come in, they buy a block of tickets, and they put in a raffle ticket in the bucket that coincides with that item that they're interested in,” Lovisek said.

There will also be a 50/50 raffle the festival is holding in conjunction with the Greater Lakes Region Children Fund, and winners announced at 8:30 p.m.

Throughout the day on Saturday, attendees can enjoy dance performances by the Wicked Witches of the Lakes Region at 3 and 6 p.m. There will also be four bands performing throughout the day: Miles to Memphis Band, Supernothing, Canyon Lights, and Everway.

The iconic 34-foot pumpkin tower will be lit at 5:45 p.m., illuminating downtown in a festive orange glow. Then at 8 p.m., the laser show starts, with the tower closing afterward.

The night will conclude with a screening of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" at the Colonial Theatre at 8:45 p.m. The showing is free, and tickets are distributed that day, first come, first served.

The festival will close at 10 p.m. with shuttles running until 10:30 p.m.

“Pumpkinfest, 25 days away, I believe. Getting close, getting nervous,” Lovisek told at the council at the meeting Monday night. “It's going to be great.”

For a full schedule of events, visit laconiapumpkinfestival.com.