RUMFORD — Downtown was the place to be Saturday as hundreds of people, including many youngsters in costume, attended the fourth annual River Valley Pumpkin Fest.
The early morning was a bit challenging as gusty winds raised havoc with some of the 50 vendors setting up on Congress Street. Fortunately, by the time the event opened, it was calmer and turned into a beautiful fall day.
Youngsters dressed in a variety of Halloween attire, most carrying bags for trick-or-treating.
At the pumpkin-carving booth, parents helped their children carve free pumpkins for a large, lighted-pumpkin display in the evening. Working on their pumpkins at the same time were John Ellis and his son, Andrew, and Angie Chihocki and her son, Paul.
Following the whoopie pie-eating contest for youngsters, Coyote Freeman defended his title for the older crowd by winning the apple pie-eating contest.
After a large group of AYF cheerleaders performed for the crowd, it was time for the tug-of-war contest. Winning an opening match was an excited threesome called Team Awesome, made up of Grace Chapman, Kassi Burgess and Sophie Ladd.
The fall day was a good time to share a book as well, provided by Eileen Pew, a volunteer reader for Literacy For Me, Western Foothills Region. Among the youngsters who listened to a story were Benjamin and Hannah Klingener, and Riley Windover.
Over a four-hour period, people participated in wagon rides through the area, provided by Butch and Becky Durgin of Meadow Creek Farm in West Sumner.
The event was sponsored by EnvisionRumford, and for the second year, coordinated and hosted by Kris Howes and Gaskyl Productions.
bfarrin@sunmediagroup.net
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