Each October, Keene, NH (pronounced “keen”) hosts one of the largest annual pumpkin festivals. It’s known quite simply as The Keene Pumpkin Festival (Pumpkin Fest or P-Fest). This annual event is celebrated on a weekend preceding Halloween. 
The festival’s goal is to have the largest number of lit jack-o’-lanterns (the name given to a carved pumpkin) on display in one area – on Main Street in the center of town. An estimated 70,000 – 80,000 people have attended this annual event in years past. By comparison, the population of Keene is just over 23,400.
Organizers invite residents, businesses, organizations, schools and people from around the area attempt to meet or beat the world record (which they’ve held for several years). The Keene Pumpkin Festival previously held the record of 28,952 (as recognized by the Guinness World Records) set in October 2003. This record was broken when Boston, MA collected 30,128 in October 2006. 
The jack-o'-lanterns brought to the festival are displayed on numerous shelving displays and other available surfaces around the center of town. 
Festivities begin at noon with lots of music, food and craft displays. Evening brings the lighting of the two giant towers of jack-o’-lanterns seen in the above , capped by a fireworks display. When the festival is over, the pumpkins are collected, hauled away and given to area pig farmers.Children (of all ages) walk the street dressed in Halloween costumes – there’s a lot of variety . . .
And, many adults (older kids) get into the “spirit” too.
Here’s our favorite adult costume – can you guess what she is?
Her answer (honest) – a one-night stand !
12 comments:
Wow, they really go all out at that festival. The last photo is a real hoot!
She's a shady character.
love it :O) and that is one huge wall of pumpkins
Ha, ha ... That last gal is a shady character all right! What an original idea and not hard to execute!
Love the name on the last one :-) :-) :-)
It would have been fun to go to one of those pumpkin festivals :-)
Have a great day!
Christer.
Looks like there was a beautiful day for the gathering. Nothing says Fall like pumpkins.
very unique, never seen or heard of this
It would be neat to see the pumpkin tower all lit up. Looks like a fun time. :-)
LOL on the one night stand, toooo funny. i have never seen pumpkins stacked up like on those racks. that is a real sight to see. I like all the kids in costumes. we have Pumpkin festival here, but they are on the ground. they have craft shows and petting zoos and all kinds of different things and it goes 4 weekends of Oct.
I LOVE THAT COSTUME! BRILLIANT!
And the price is right - add more brilliance!
Looks like you all had a lot of fun! Glad it stopped raining!
Got to 39 this morning here. Cats were in their heated box.
What a whole lot of fun! And, I LOVE that last image. I remember a Halloween at the Cincinnati Pops one year. The audience was invited to dress up. I borrowed my son's combat boots (of the "your mother wears combat boots" fame) and other camo, but the winner was a trio of three 50ish ladies dressed in sheets. Yep, they were "Three Sheets to the Wind." ;)
What a fun festival that must be. And I do love the one night stand.
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