The 6th annual Pumpkin Fest Saturday, October 31, 2009 Grove Center 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM This
year’s festival will feature bands, a costume parade for kids and pets, a haunted
house, kid’s zone, craft demonstrations, arts & crafts vendors and more beginning
at 11:00 AM. Football Fans can take a break at The Hibachi Gallery/Time Out Deli or Brewskies where they can escape the teeming crowds, relax and hang out with friends while watching the games on Big Screen TV’s. Ghosts, goblins, & ghouls will share the parade route with story book characters & superheroes as they model their ingeniously creative Halloween attire in the Children’s Parade & Costume Contest, a popular time-honored festival tradition. The costume contest is open to children ages Infant – 12. The first, second and third place winners of each age group [Infant – 4; 4-8; 8-12] will win a special prize donated by local merchants. The first place winners from each category will compete for the coveted grand prize. Judging will be based on creativity and originality. The competition can be intense but it’s all in good fun, says Mark Russell, Patterson Appliances, one of the contest organizers, “Every year I’m amazed to see the costumes people show up in and the effort they put into their imaginative themes and designs,” he said. Word from the North Pole is that Santa will be there, possibly even leading the parade, as he scouts out the perfect spot in Oak Ridge to set up his headquarters for meeting with area children about their wish lists for this Christmas. The popular HAUNTED HOUSE, sponsored by High Places Church, returns as a treat “for all ages” in the Grove Theatre Building. Harry’s Aquarium will once again host the Pet Costume Parade where pets and their owners are encouraged to dress in their most outrageous and fanciful designs. Prizes will be awarded. S.A.R.G. will be on hand with adoptable pets. A “Kid’s Zone” filled with inflatable’s will be located in the Choices Resource Center parking lot sponsored by Choices Resources and High Places Church while the Oak Ridge Floral Company will be painting balloons. The arts and crafts area will include artists from the Corner Gallery who will both exhibit their art and have demonstrations and craft activities for the children by Marsha Grissom. Other arts and crafts will include jewelry, quilts, weaving traditions, hand-woven kitchen items & birdhouses. Several artists from the Appalachian Arts Craft Center will be exhibiting this year including Karen Watson “Britt’s Bags” and Gourd Artist Marsha Cain. There are a few art & craft vendor slots remaining. If interested please contact Cathy Sloan at (865) 288-0058 or via e-mail cdsloan@aol.com. Food Vendors this year include Kettle Corn, Sno-Kones, Funnel Cakes, Fried Oreo’s, Cotton Candy, Anderson’s Hilltop Bar-b-que & Leo’s Hotdogs. Grove Center restaurants Venice Pizza and the Hibachi Gallery/Time Out Deli will be open along with having booths at the festival. RUSH Gym will be
on hand with an obstacle course and a free 3-month trial. If you would like to VOLUNTEER to help at Pumpkin Fest - please download form Grove Center is a key component along with Jackson Square in the revitalization effort being put forth in Oak Ridge. The Oak Ridge Revitalization Effort is dedicated to preserving the history of Oak Ridge while revitalizing their shopping centers and deteriorating neighborhoods. Join in the effort by attending Pumpkin Fest and becoming part of the excitement or contact us at 865.604.7709 to learn how can become a Community Partner in this exciting Revitalization Effort |
