A pumpkin festival is an annual kind of seasonal festival celebrating the fall harvest of pumpkin seeds. The date is generally set sometime between October and November. The word “pumpkin” itself means “a hollowed-out pumpkin.” This is where the festivities begin. They are usually celebrated around October.
In the early years, the pumpkin festival was held up by candlelight. But the trend has changed in favor of more contemporary ways of lighting up the event. Today, the main events are usually held in the evening, with the lighting ceremony sometime in November or December. The celebration is one of the major yearly events that are celebrated in the pumpkin-bearing state. It’s been going on for several thousand years.
The first festival started in the 1700s in the colonial period. The colonists were very fond of pumpkins so they decided to celebrate it in the month of October. At that time, the fourth of October was designated as “Pumpkin day”. They even made the fourth Thursday of that month into a “sburgay weekend” by hanging rededicate trees along the railroad line and making “Pumpkin crowns” with pennants.
Over the years, the tradition of pumpkin festivals had evolved. In the early twenty-first century, the spirit of the original festival stayed alive, but it was changed to coincide with what we know today as Columbus day. Columbus Day in the United States was created in July; after the Second World War. At that time, many American cities took part in celebrating the harvest holiday with parades and other special events.
In the United States, this traditional autumnal festival also included the production of “hog roast”. For those in central or eastern parts of the United States, they would visit a farm in the late afternoon and enjoy eating part of a pigs’ breakfast. If you were lucky, you might even get to sit at the head of the pig and see the chef working his magic. For those who were not fortunate enough to do this, you could visit one of the WV festival food tents and enjoy the unique smells and textures of the fall produce. In some states, the largest annual or festival takes place in the spring and early summer.
Besides the thrilling activities, you will also be delighted by the sweet treats of the WV festival. I love going to the WV pumpkin patch and seeing all the different kinds of pumpkins that are featured. This year, several species choose from, including spooky faces, cowgirls and horsemen, cute pumpkins with flowers, funny pumpkin faces, and pumpkin bodies. You might even spot a few dead pumpkins on the walkway or the grounds. When Fall comes, I look forward to the crazy street fairs and other crazy activities that take place around the festival each day. My sister is in town for the month of October, and she absolutely loves all the crazy street fairs and the crazy activities that take place.
The main highlight of the entire event is the carving contest at approximately 10am every day. I have always entered my own pumpkin, but I was glad that my sister entered hers because she chose a pumpkin that was really nice. The contest is not only exciting, but it’s also good food and a good time to visit the wonderful city.