The 11th Annual Pumpkintown Festival in Downtown Athens, Tn., is on Saturday, Oct. 11.
A day-long celebration that brings to life the rich cultural history and heritage of McMinn County and East Tennessee, the community-wide event is named for a former McMinn County settlement, Pumpkintown.
Pumpkintown planners expect the event to continue to provide great entertainment for local families and those visiting from other areas.
“Pumpkintown has enjoyed great success for the past decade, with thousands of visitors attending each year,” said Meredith Willson, chairwoman of the Pumpkintown steering committee. “We look forward to another exciting year for this event.”
This year's event is dedicated to the memory of the late Scott Crisp, who was a longtime organizer of Pumpkintown's Native American heritage activities, which will this year be emceed by Robert Redhawk during the Scott Crisp Memorial Powwow in Downtown Athens' Market Park.
Those who attend Pumpkintown will be taken back in time to many different bygone eras in East Tennessee’s past.
Blacksmiths, woodturners, basketmakers, potters, bonnet-makers, old-fashioned jewelry-makers, and other craftspeople will demonstrate crafts from days of old.
Old favorites will also be returning, including the 6th Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest and the “Mutt Strut” and “Doggie Costume Contest." New events will include the first-ever "Pumpkin Plinko" game on Jackson Street in Downtown Athens.
Live music and entertainment will be held on multiple stages throughout the day during Pumpkintown, which will be held Saturday, Oct. 11, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Opening ceremonies for the festival will coincide with this year's crew reunion of the U.S.S. Ware, a destroyer named for an Athens Naval aviator who died during the Battle of Midway during World War II.
Sponsors are needed to ensure this year’s festival is another fun-filled success for the whole community. Anyone wishing to be a Pumpkintown sponsor can contact Cheryl Bressler at 423 453-7884 or email cbressler@lamar.com.
Vendors are being sought for the event, and anyone interested can contact Meredith Willson at 423 887-3544 or meredith@citnatbank.com or Mary Wyatt at 423 381-2638 or marywyatt@live.com. If you would like to be involved as a living history demonstrator, contact Javier Alfaro at 706 206-5527 or email Javier.alfaro@shawinc.com.
To learn more about Pumpkintown, visit www.pumpkintownfestival.com.