Community Corner
Nashua Likely Out of the Running for Pumpkin Festival
The Keene Pumpkin Festival is looking for a new home after an infamous riot last year. Laconia has emerged as its likely new home.
Laconia—and not Nashua—appears to be new home of the Keene Pumpkin Festival.
The festival last year drew infamy when about 100 people—mostly Keene State College students—were arrested during and after a riot. Several fires were set and police used tear gas and pepper bullets to quell the crowd. Hundreds of officers from surrounding states descended on Keene to get the situation under control.
In the aftermath, the Keene City Council denied a permit for the festival this year, which is the festival’s 25th anniversary.
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Now, festival organizers are exploring the possibility of having the festival in a different city.
Nashua was mentioned as an option—but it now appears Laconia will be the likely pick. Portsmouth, Hampton, and Loudon have also been mentioned.
Find out what's happening in Nashuafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Festival manager Ruth Sterling told the Laconia Daily Sun last week “all roads lead to Laconia.” City leaders have expressed support for hosting the festival. Sterling said an announcement will be made Fri., April 24.
Nashua Patch ran a poll earlier this month that found about 75 percent of respondents favored having the festival in Nashua:
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Photo credit: lwoowllwoowl via Flickr
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