13th annual PumpkinFest brings in largest crowd ever
Thursday, 29 October 2009

Sunflower the Clown and Miss Patti the Pumpkin leads the costume parade during Franklin’s 13th annual PumpkinFest activities on Saturday, October 24. In addition to the parade, events included a costume contest, pie-eating competition and the ever-popular pumpkin roll down Frogtown Hill.
By Marla Dalrymple
Staff Writer

Franklin’s 13th Annual PumpkinFest Celebration was a record-breaking success. Maconians and visitors flocked to Town Hill on Saturday to see the costumed characters and to watch all the pumpkins roll down Frogtown Hill.

Main Street Coordinator Linda Schlott said the festival saw the largest crowds in its history. “It was the largest crowd we ever had,” said Schlott. “It was a great family day. The weather was wonderful, and we had people come from a number of neighboring states. We had a lot of people visiting and a lot of children.”

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0-3- first place, football player Peyton Shelton
PumpkinFest is, after all, a children’s festival, said Schlott. Children enjoyed free games such as fishing, a duck pond and pumpkin toss on the lawn. “Everybody won a prize,” said Schlott, and there was free face painting. The fun actually started on Friday afternoon as children trick-ortreated at businesses along the Highlands Road.

Saturday’s puppet show was also a great success. “We would love to have the puppet show again next year,” said Schlott. Susan VandeWeghe of the Mountain Marionettes delighted the crowd with her puppets. Mountain Marionettes is a full-time, professional puppet company specializing in the art of the marionette. Performed by master puppeteer VandeWeghe, Mountain Marionettes’ productions feature shortstrung marionettes with the puppeteer in full view of the audience in a fast-paced variety format.

7-10 division - first place clown Taylor with brother/pirate Tanner.
The company performs year-round at schools, libraries, malls, preschools, senior centers, fairs and festivals. At PumpkinFest, the fast-paced variety show charmed children and adults alike. VandeWeghe has been involved in puppetry for 20 years and makes her own puppets, each of which takes a month to build. She became involved, she said, because she’s a “big kid at heart.”

Craft and food vendors filled downtown with all kinds of interesting things to see as well as delicious smells. Turkey legs, barbecue, cheese steaks, wood fired pizzas, pork rinds, boiled peanuts, root beer floats and fresh lemonade certainly contributed to the festive aroma in the air.

15 and up division-first place, Grim Reaper Mike Hundley ; second place, butterfly Miranda Conway; third place, pirate
A record number, over 500 pumpkins, rolled down the steepest street in town. Each Pumpkin Roll contestant rolled a pumpkin down Frogtown Hill to see who could make it go the farthest distance. Finish lines were set up at 283 feet and 500 feet.

Roger Honeycutt rolled his pumpkin 991 feet, winning the $100 cash prize, for farthest pumpkin roll distance. “In this economy,” said Schlott, “that prize money is well appreciated.”

Many people paraded their costumes, literally, down Main Street, in an old-fashioned parade. The costume contest was popular, with first, second and third places recognized for best costume in five age divisions and a group division.

Casey - Second place Raggedy Ann
Only 12 brave souls signed on for the pie eating contest, though the event drew a crowd of spectators to the Gazebo Stage. Each eater had one minute to eat as much pumpkin pie as possible, all the while with their hands behind their backs. Franklin Mayor Joe Collins judged the gruesome event.

Robert Tyndell of Franklin won in the 21 and over age group and was awarded $25. He said the secret to winning is to, “Just eat, eat, eat.” He must be on to something, as he won the event last year as well.

Dwight Shanpine, 13, of Franklin won in the 21 and under category. He also was awarded $25 and bragging rights. “It was a good competition,” he said. “I felt like if I kept on scarfing it down, I had a chance.”

The Macon County Historical Society sponsored a Pumpkin Cooking Contest. Pamela Fife won first place for her pumpkin roll with cream cheese filling. Jeffery Berry won second place for his pumpkin bread pudding, and Joey Gibson won third place for his pumpkin roll.

Lots of non-profit organizations set up booths in town. The Macon County Humane Society had a booth set up for animal adoptions at PumpkinFest. Teresa McDowell, a member of the Humane Society, said the booth was really more for distributing information, as festival-goers aren’t usually prepared to leave with an animal that day.

Nevertheless, two dogs and a puppy were adopted on Saturday, marking quite a success for the organization.

Local author Geannie Webster was in the booth with the Humane Society, signing copies of her book “Strays.” The book has been endorsed by the National Humane Society.

“After these events,” McDowell said of the festival, “we see an influx of visitors to the shelter. They see us out in the community and realize what nice-looking animals we have, and it gets them to thinking. There's a big misconception that our animals are starving or in poor health. They may come to the shelter in bad shape, but they go out good.”

McDowell said she was very impressed with the number of people who visited the booth at PumpkinFest. “There were tons of people coming in and out and we were able to give out a lot of information and answer questions, especially about our spay and neuter program, which is dear to our hearts,” McDowell said.

Schlott said the event couldn’t go on without the help of volunteers. Every year student volunteers with Western Carolina University’s service learning group help out at PumpkinFest. “The kids are just great,” said Schlott of the students.

Once again the smashed pumpkin has been scraped from curbs and corners and the ghouls and goblins lie in wait for next year’s festivities.