Enjoy a Day Filled With Fun at the Blackwood Pumpkin Festival

The sounds of live entertainment and laughter, the sights of children painting pumpkins, and the smells of delicious treats like kettle corn will greet visitors to the 23rd annual Blackwood Pumpkin Festival presented by Mainstage Center for the Arts (MCA).

The festival takes place Sunday, October 5, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (with a raindate of October 12) around the area of MCA’s -Academy Hall, 27 S. Blackhorse Pike. Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, Elauwit Media, and Today’s Shopper sponsor this event.

Each year, the festival draws thousands of visitors to downtown Blackwood to enjoy family activities, shopping, food, and live entertainment.

The family activities include: pumpkin painting, amusements, games, moon bounce, pony rides, face painting, and more.

New this year is a scarecrow building station, sponsored by DuBell Lumber Co. where patrons can build a five-foot scarecrow to decorate their homes.

In addition, the festival will offer a more varied food menu, with vendors offering something for every taste.

“This year’s event includes so many of the fun traditions that folks enjoy year after year and some wonderful new additions like the scarecrow building and new games for the kids to play. I know families will be thrilled to learn that pony rides are returning after last year’s hiatus,” said Anne Marie Weaver. “We appreciate all those who visit the Pumpkin Festival, which raises funds for Mainstage’s year-round performing arts programs.”

Those programs include Harmony, high school show choir; Encore, middle school show choir, and the Mainstage School of Dance; who are all performing at the festival, along with other local entertainers.

For others who like to get in on the act, there’s a talent contest, costume parade/contest, and pumpkin carving contest. Here are details for entering the contests.

· Costume Parade/Contest, sponsored by Bounce U – for those up to age 12, 11:30 am and 1:15 p.m., in the park in the center of East Railroad Ave. Register 15 minutes before the contest of your choice at the Mainstage Information Booth also located in the center of East Railroad Ave.

· Talent Contest, sponsored by GCV Productions – performances will be assigned between 11:30 – 3:00 pm. Participants must pre-register by October 1. For details about registration, please visit http://mainstage.org/about/pumpkin-festival/

· Pumpkin Carving Contest, sponsored by McDonald’s, 1521 Blackwood Clementon Rd, Gloucester Township – please bring already carved or decorated field-grown pumpkins to Harwin Park, which is next to Rite Aid on the Black Horse Pike between noon and 2 p.m.

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.

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); 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, or to rent a booth, call 855-936-2467 or visit www.mainstage.org.