Turners Falls — Montague’s seventh annual Franklin County Pumpkinfest is expected to fill Avenue A with crowds this Saturday.
The event, which runs from 2 to 9 p.m., includes three stages, pumpkin decorating, beer and food vendors and activities for children.
Michael Nelson, one of the event’s organizers and a town selectman in Montague, said the changes this year are only small, with battery-operated lights in the pumpkins. The event will also have pumpkin decorating instead of pumpkin carving, because of the event’s insurance.
Avenue A from First Street to Seventh Street will be blocked off starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Nelson said attendees can park downtown on side streets and regular city lots, but said people should avoid parking in the shopping plaza lot, so business can continue during the event.
He said the event offers a free parking shuttle from Sheffield Elementary and Turners Falls High School from 2 to 10 p.m.
Nelson said he started the event with friends because they saw similar pumpkin festivals in nearby towns and thought Franklin County needed its own.
The event will have about 140 vendors, between food, crafts and beer. Nelson said that the event offers a wide range in food options.
“If you think it, it’s probably there,” he said.
There will be six different brewers in the beer garden, which will be located in Peskeomskut Park.
The event will have two music stages, and one performance stage. The event has the music and performance schedule posted on its Facebook page.
Each music stage will also include performances in between acts from Karen’s Dance studio, and a local musician, Robert Lord, who plays on a skeleton piano.
For children, the event will have an activities area where they can do crafts as well as a pumpkin decorating station. Nelson said the event won’t offer pumpkin carving this year, so he recommends people carve at home and bring their pumpkins to the event. He said there is always incredible displays by local schools, that are a must-see for event goers.
At the end of Saturday, those who bring pumpkins can pick them up and bring them home for Halloween weekend, or leave them, where they’ll be taken to local farms to be composted.
There will be pumpkin check in stations at each end of Avenue A. Judges will hand out blue ribbons to the best pumpkins at the end of the night.
The event is rain or shine.
Miranda Davis covers Montague, Gill and Erving. Reach her at
413-772-0261 ext. 280 or
mdavis@recorder.com.