Grafton Pumpkin Fest offers the best of the season
VISITORS AND LOCALS alike can be found at the annual Grafton Pumpkin Festival. In addition to the fun of fall, the weekend features bicycle races and much more.
The festival is free, and runs from Friday, Oct. 12 through Saturday, Oct. 13.
Family-friendly activities kick off on Friday at 5 p.m. with lots of food available for purchase. Music by Loo$e Change continues from 6-9 p.m., with a pumpkin lighting in Paramount Plaza at 7:30 p.m. The pumpkins that are part of the display will be judged.
On Saturday, a pancake breakfast at the Heart of Grafton Restaurant from 8-11 a.m. is sponsored by the Grafton Lions' Club. The breakfast will help kids of all ages "fuel up" for the family scavenger walk that starts at 10 a.m. A children's activity area and seasonal story time are among the activities planned for the younger set.
Everyone will be fascinated by the pumpkin paint- ing demonstration. An art show and chalk walk also put the spotlight on the season's creative side. Kohl's Color Wheels, a mobile art experience, will be available from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Vendors with seasonal items as well as Grafton's merchants will help satisfy the "shop 'till you drop" crowd. Hilarity rules with the pumpkin seed spit- ting contest, held Saturday afternoon. To keep things fair, competitors go up against rivals in dif- ferent youth and adult divisions.
Pumpkin Cross Bike races are 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. at Lime Kiln Park. Fabled among "cyclo-cross" racers, the course involves repeated laps on a short course featuring pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and more. This is a don't miss – challenging for the racers and very entertaining for the spectators.
For more information and updates, visit www.celebrategrafton.com.
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