PUMPKINTOWN — Fall is here again, and thousands of visitors will descend upon the 37th annual Pumpkin Festival in Pumpkintown on Saturday Oct. 10, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

[cointent_lockedcontent]This is the time of year to enjoy a wonderful fall day in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains while taking advantage of some outstanding shopping, music, and food.

Thousands flock to Pumpkintown for the town’s annual early-fall Pumpkin Festival, enjoying fall weather and beautiful arts, crafts, music and food. Above, Kinsley Simmons, daughter of Pumpkintown resident Stacey Simmons, plays with a pumpkin during a past festival.

The festival will kick off at 9 a.m. with the parade from the Pumpkintown Fire Department to the Oolenoy Community Building, located at 5301 Dacusville Highway. The parade is always a treat to behold — you never know who or what will be in it.

After the parade, the Pickens High School ROTC will hold a flag-raising ceremony, and then the fun and games will begin, and continue until 5 p.m.

This year’s festival will feature more than 150 arts and crafts vendors, who will be displaying and selling products that are all handmade, or homemade — no commercial products are accepted at the festival.

There will be food available throughout the festival grounds and inside the Oolenoy Building. There will be burgers, hot dogs, sausage dogs, barbecue, fried pies, fried fish, barbecued chicken and homemade ice cream, in addition to the numerous baked goods available around the perimeter of the community building. The famous barbecued chicken plates will be available around 11:30 a.m.

Bluegrass/gospel music and clogging will be featured throughout the day, so bring your lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy these events.

Amusement rides for children will be available on the back side of the festival grounds. Cotton candy and kettle corn will be offered in the children’s area.

Raffle tickets for the festival quilt can be purchased inside the community building. The quilt, which is given away every year, was designed and quilted by Susie Flowers. The tickets are $1 each, or six for $5. The drawing will be held around 4 p.m. You do not have to be present to win.

Pumpkins of all sizes will be available for purchase at the entrance to the community building. TD Bank will have a tent set up with paints available for children to dress up their pumpkins. The pumpkin pile is also a popular spot for parents to take pictures of their kids.

The festival is free and open to the public. Handicapped parking is available in the Oolenoy Baptist Church parking lot, and golf carts will be available to shuttle folks to and from the festival grounds.

No pets will be allowed on the festival grounds, other than service animals.

The festival is sponsored and organized by the Pumpkintown Community Club and raises money for community projects that benefit many area organizations. The festival is also funded in part by the Pickens County Accommodations Tax.

For more information on the festival or the Oolenoy Community Building, contact Susie Flowers at (864) 898-0261 or Bob Flowers (864) 884-2671.

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