Pumpkinfest grows to new parts of the city

LACONIA — This year’s New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival will incorporate all three of the city’s villages — Weirs Beach, Lakeport and downtown — to continue a tradition over 30 years old.

The event attracts tourists and residents alike to visit the City on the Lakes. The first iteration of the festival held in Laconia took place in 2015.

Like every other year, downtown will be packed with activities, and visitors will have access to plenty of parking, including the lot in front of city hall. Main Street will be closed on Saturday, Oct. 26, to facilitate festivities. 

“We have lots of activities downtown — it’s really going to have kind of a historic vibe,” Lakes Region Chamber President Karmen Gifford said. 

Gifford said parking wouldn’t be a problem downtown or at the Weirs. 

“A lot of the main things that we traditionally have will be Saturday, Sunday,” she said. 

This year, businesses in Weirs Beach will also be in on the action. Visitors can expect to see vendors and events along the boardwalk and even activities on Lake Winnipesaukee.

“Our biggest goal right now, the way this will grow, is based on community engagement,” Gifford said. 

Festivities are set to begin on Tuesday, Oct. 22. The pumpkin towers, a staple and icon of Pumpkinfest, will be designed differently this year and appear more frequently across the city.

“All new pumpkin displays, there’ll be multiple ones downtown,” Gifford said. “We’ll put the towers up, they’re all new, redesigned. They’re going to be smaller but more featured.”

Each tower might be smaller than those erected in years past, but will contain more pumpkins than before. Downtown, one tower will be displayed on Main Street across from All My Life Jewelers, another will be located next to GoodNatured Juice and Smoothie Bar and a third will be situation next to a stop sign at the intersection of Main and Pleasant streets.

There will be plenty of food available between trucks and vendors, including traditional fair foods, Gifford said, and a corn maze at Beans & Greens Farm in Gilford. Food vendors will offer Mexican cuisine, pizza, asian dishes, gluten-free food, Spanish food, ice cream, kettle corn and more. 

“There’s going to be a little something for everyone,” Gifford said. 

This year’s event will also include The Runaway Pumpkin 10K & 5K race at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, at the track at Opechee Park. Visitors can enjoy a scenic, two-hour dinner train ride with Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad on Friday, Oct. 25, participate in a donut-eating contest at Laconia Village Bakery or enter the annual pie eating contest downtown.

Food trucks, a beer garden, a pumpkin cornhole tournament at noon on Oct. 26, an appearance made by the Wicked Witches of the Lakes Region, and special Halloween shows at the CAKE Theatre are just a handful of the activities offered to visitors downtown throughout Pumpkinfest.

Weirs Beach will play a vital role in transforming Laconia into a pumpkin-themed paradise. There will be pumpkin-themed displays up and down the boardwalk in the Weirs, ice cream, a masquerade ball aboard the M/S Mount Washington on Oct. 26, “ghost excursions” aboard the Winnipesaukee Spirit, zombie-themed karaoke at Tower Hill Tavern, cookie decorating and crafts, desserts available at Kellerhaus, a beer garden at the Craft Beer Xchange and Winni Rum Shack and much more. 

The Lakes Region Chamber is inviting businesses to participate in the organizing and execution of NH Pumpkin Festival. Sponsorships and other marketing opportunities are available. Vendors can also register to sell their products during the festival. Through a partnership with The Great New England Craft & Artisan Show, this year’s festival will include a NH Pumpkin Festival Craft & Artisan Show adjacent to the Belknap Mill between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Oct. 26. Food vendors, local businesses or nonprofits interested in booths should contact the Lakes Region Chamber. It’s expected 70-100 craft and artisan vendors will attend. 

Gifford said the goal of organizers is to increase community engagement. 

“It’s the pride and the engagement that will build it in smaller pieces,” she said.

For a full schedule of events and ways to get involved, visit nhpumpkinfestival.com.