Blackwood Pumpkin Festival Features Day Filled With Free, Live Entertainment

From rock ‘n roll to pantomime, the 23rd annual Blackwood Pumpkin Festival, presented by Mainstage Center for the arts, provides festival goers with non-stop family-friendly entertainment. The event, sponsored by Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, Elauwit Media and Today’s Shopper, takes place Sunday, October 5, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. along and around the Black Horse Pike in Blackwood. Its three stage areas offer something for everyone in addition to the festival’s shopping, games, food, rides, pumpkin painting, and other activities.
The entertainment line-up includes:

· Mainstage Center for the Arts Harmony and Encore Show Choirs. Harmony is comprised of high school students, while Encore features middle schoolers. Their professionally-choreographed performances are full of energy and fun music.

· The Dance Companies from Mainstage Center for the Arts School of Dance will perform routines that represent the different styles of dance offered at the school -- Ballet, Tap, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, and Hip Hop. Mainstage will also present Free Dance Class Demos for Children 3-10Yrs old, Princess Pre-Dance Class, and Kids Hip Hop Classes will both be offered following the Dance Companies’ performances on Railroad Ave.

· Timeless, featuring classic Rock & Roll songs from the 50’s- 80’s.

· Cherry Hill High School East Mime Company. The mimes return to the Pumpkin Festival year after year to entertain audiences without saying a word.

· Kelsey Coan local singer/songwriter/actress performing Pop Country.

· Spoken Life, acoustic, uplifting music by Anthony Irwin.

· Endless Sacrifice, Sicklerville alternative rock band will perform an acoustic set.

· Tony Desimone and the River Mercy Band, Philadelphia-area band featuring contempory Rock and Roll.

· Andrew Rivenbark - Singer Songwriter who was featured this summer at the Blackwood Farmer’s Market.

· Nick and Brenna, this duo will perform acoustic covers.

· Jon Paiano, this upcoming Country artist grew up in South Jersey.

Several of the artists (Spoken Life, Endless Sacrifice, Tony Desimone and the River Mercy Band, Andrew Rivenbark, Nick and Brenna, and Jon Paiano) come to the Pumpkin Festival through Sound Wave Inc., a non-profit organization who promotes live entertainment and young artists .Sound Wave’s mission is to provide a safe place for youth to go after school and at night to express themselves through music and learn fundamental knowledge of the music industry.

Festival goers can also join in the entertainment by entering a Talent Contest, comprised of pre-registered acts aged , between 11:30 am – 3:00 pm, or the Costume Parade/Contest at 11:30 am and 1:15 pm. The Talent Contest is sponsored by GCV Productions and the Costu me Parade/Contest is sponsored by Bounce U, Blackwood. Registration information is available at www.mainstage.org/pumpkin-festival.

The entertainment schedule and festival maps will be available at the Mainstage information booths located throughout the festival area.

Since parking in downtown Blackwood fills up quickly, free parking with a free shuttle bus service to the festival is available at Highland Regional High School, 450 Erial Road, Blackwood, NJ 08012.
For more information about the Blackwood Pumpkin Festival, visit www.mainstage.org/pumpkin-festival, or call (855) 93 MAINSTAGE, (855- 936-2467).
In addition to Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, Elauwit Media, and Today’s Shopper, the Blackwood Pumpkin Festival is sponsored by: PNC Bank; Bowman and Company; LLP; Joseph W. Bowley, CPA; Beneficial Bank; Castor Auto & Truck Repair; Comegno Law Group, PC; PostNet; Preferred Party Rentals; Blue Skies Electric; Southjersey.com; DuBell Lumber; Drs. Sullivan, Turner LLC; Mayor David Mayer and Gloucester Township Town Council; Senator Madden, Assemblyman Moriarty, Assemblywoman Mosquera; Bounce U; GCV Productions; McDonald’s (Gloucester Township); Bounce U of Blackwood; DPI of Cherry Hill; Sign & Design; Space Mart; Chews Florist; Rite Aid; Sports Specialties; Valleybrook Country Club; Blackwood West Development; Blackwood Lake Development, Township of Gloucester; Gloucester Township Chamber of Commerce; Camden County Regional Chamber of Commerce; Camden County College; Gloucester Township Rotary Public Library; Gloucester Township Public Schools, and Black Horse Pike Regional School District New Jersey State Council on the Arts; National Endowment for the Arts.

All proceeds from the 23rd Annual Blackwood Pumpkin Festival benefit Mainstage Center for the Arts, a non-profit organization committed to providing affordable, quality arts education and entertainment for the South Jersey Community.
For more information about the event, call (855) 936-2467 or visit www.mainstage.org., or call (855) 936-2467.

Mainstage Center for the Arts, the parent program for Summer Stage, is a 501 © (3) non-profit organization committed to providing a creative, vibrant, and nurturing environment for youth and adults.
This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. This program is also made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey Cultural Trust.