Pumpkins Take Over Downtown Milford!
The 20th Milford Great Pumpkin Festival Takes Place in Downtown Milford on Oct 9-11
Milford – The Milford Great Pumpkin Festival celebrates its 20th year on October 9-11 in downtown Milford. The festival opens on Friday Night at 5 pm with a barbeque dinner at the First Congregational Church on Union Street, music on the Oval and the Pumpkin Runner making his way to the Oval to for the Lighting of the Pumpkins in the Milford Town Hall. The Milford Historical Society will also announce the Milford Citizen of the Year. Those who dare can talk a walk along the Haunted Trail. Looking for a classic good scare? Come to the Amato Theater at 8 PM for a showing of the classic 1953 film The War of the Worlds, starring Gene Barry.
Food, music and lots of family fun fill both Saturday and Sunday. There are several returning favorites such as the Great Pumpkin Weigh In, the Pumpkin Catapult, scarecrow making and face painting and the Chili Contest all on the Oval and the Community House Lawn. The little ones will enjoy a Halloween Storybook Trail where children may meet various characters from nursery rhymes and a train ride from Emerson Park to several activities taking place at the Boys and Girls Club.
Music on two stages is the highlight of the weekend. Over 30 local bands and singers will take the stages over the weekend, performing everything from award-winning country, bluegrass, symphony, folk and rock ‘n’roll. Kicking off the weekend on Friday, October 9 on the Oval Stage is PB&Jammin Jazz Ensemble, a group of talented young musicians playing a mixture of jazz, pop and big band. They are followed on Friday by Folk Soul, an exciting 8-piece ensemble specializing in feel-good, up-beat tempos using unique instrumentation. Tubas, trombones, guitars, balafons, sax, accordion, piano and other exotic percussion blend into a whirlwind of swampy New Orleans-style rhythms that make dancing inescapable.
A sample of tunes to be heard on Saturday and Sunday include well-known favorites The Ballou Brothers playing original rock and blues, big, sloppy guitar chords and upbeat power pop from The Pop Farmers, and three part harmony contemporary and traditional folk from Random Acts of Harmony. Local country music fans will love the crooning of Rob Oxford and young Shelby Lynn Rogers and the younger set will enjoy Amy Conley and Friends and Diane Kordas and the Romper Rhythm Band. Saturday Night dancing on the Oval is inevitable with the rocking sounds of Russell Hill. Check www.milfordpumpkinfestivalorg for information and showtimes of performers. Boston area sensation The Macrotones play their ‘Instrumental Funk Assault’ on Community House Lawn on Saturday from 5 – 9 pm during the Street Party on Elm with the Chili Round-Up Contest, food and beer tasting.
The next potential singing or dancing sensation make their debuts at The Milford Great Pumpkin Festival Talent Show on Saturday, October 10, 8 PM at the Amato Center for the Performing Arts in Milford. Come support your friends and neighbors as they compete for the top prize of $500. Local comedian and radio host Karl Zahn emcees. Advance tickets are on sale now at www.milfordpumpkinfestival.org, $7 adults, $5 children under 12.
The Milford Great Pumpkin Festival is organized on behalf of the Town of Milford by the Milford DO-IT Program. Many thanks to our Primary Festival Sponsors First Colebrook Bank, Kokko Realty and Custos Morum Lodge 42 and our event sponsors: Alene Candles, Amherst Orthodontics, Amigos Restaurant, Bean Seaver Smith Real Estate, the Cabinet Press, Centrix Bank, Contemporary Chrysler-Dodge, Hansen Printing & Design, The Holt Agency, Lake Sunapee Bank, Martha’s Exchange, Milford Lumber, Pennichuck Brewing, St. Joseph Hospital, St. Mary’s Bank, The Red Arrow Diners, Suburban Propane and Walgreens.
For more information on the Festival, how to get involved or for tickets to the Saturday Talent Show, call the DO-IT office at 672-4567, email director@milfordmainstreetorg or visit the website: www.milfordpumpkinfestivalorg.
