Post by Marc LeVine on Jul 14, 2006 9:45:21 GMT -5
Here's an idea for the partnership in unison will Allen Consulting. This would fit nicely into our Spooktacular - Halloween weekend.
My son Sean moved up to Keene, New Hampshire in the Spring to take summer classes in preparation for his transfer from Brookdale to Keene State College. He loves it up there and vows never to return to New Jersey, as a resident. We've visited the area and it IS very nice, much less congested and filled with many down to earth, friendly people. Kind of like a mountainess Freehold Borough, not surrounded by the rudeness of snooty former New Yorkers like those now living in Marlboro and Manalapan!
In any case, Keene is known for its annual Pumpkin Festival at Halloween time. In addition to vying for the world record of carved pumpkins each year - as many as 24,000 - the downtown is transformed into a fun place filled with food, games and music. Sounds like a fun time for all and people seem to come from all over to attend.
Here is last year's report on the festivities. If anyone is so bold to carry this idea forward to the Partnership, be my guest.
Keene Pumpkin Festival History
Pumpkin Festival: Not a record, but thousands of people have a great time in downtown Keene
By ERIKA COHEN for SentinelSource
A festive crowd filled Main Street Saturday evening and let out a collective sigh when the final count was announced: 18,882.
Even though this was 4,845 jack-o'-lanterns short of the world record set in 2000 -- 23,727 lit pumpkins -- and also short of last year's total, the crowd of about 45,000 people quickly recovered. Within seconds their attention turned to the fireworks display and the cheerful mood that had persisted all day despite the rain, which had by then stopped.
"We thought it would be a washout, but it was great," said Ellen L. Brandenburg. "The people watching here are great, and so is seeing all of the pumpkins. We're just absorbing the culture."
Brandenburg, who lives in Keene half the week as an interim minister at the Unitarian Universalist church, is a festival first timer. She was joined by her husband and adult daughter.
Roe-Ann Tasoulas said she was disappointed with the low count, but said that with the rainy conditions, she was pleased to get so many people and pumpkins. And so many volunteers.
"We had at least 1,000 volunteers over the course of the event," she said. "Their help was incredible."
According to Cheshire County Sheriff Richard A. Foote, the festival went smoothly except for a few children temporarily separated from their parents.
Main Street was alive with color, sound and good smells. Odors of fried dough, coffee, hamburgers, hot dogs, soup and popcorn emanated from the tarp-covered vendor stands. Brightly colored umbrellas, raincoats and costumed children added to the orange from the thousands of pumpkins to create a world alight in color. And music from three stages and loudspeakers had everyone in good spirits.
While early morning rain kept the crowds thin, The Monadnock Squares took advantage of the open space and danced in the streets. The local square dance group happily promenaded and doe-see-doed around Central Square, oblivious of the rain or cold. Some members of the festive group wore bright yellow slickers and rain hats that could be seen from part way down Main Street at about noontime.
"I wasn't sure anyone would show up," said Carol A. Symonds, a member of the dance group. "But they are all here and we're having fun."
The Gilbo Avenue area, new last year, was a huge hit. A climbing wall, seed-spitting contest, pie-eating contest, and arts and crafts lured crowds off Main Street and provided some friendly competitive events.
Visiting from Atlanta, the Alexander family said the weather was a bit of a shock, but that they were having a lot of fun. Especially at the seed spitting contest, where Deborah L. Alexander surprised her husband and three children with a 14 foot, 7 inch seed spit.
"You did a really good job at that spitting thing," said Michael, 4, grinning up at his mom. His two older brothers, Nicholas and Steve, nodded in agreement.
William W. Harris, the self-proclaimed "Gilbo Avenue guy" said the festival was a huge success this year, like every other year, because of the "human spirit" of the many volunteers who made it happen. He said the weather might make a record difficult, but that wasn't most important.
"What's so neat about the festival is that everyone can contribute in some way," said Harris, a Center Stage board member. "You look around and just about every single person has made a contribution whether it is helping with set up or cleanup or manning a booth or lining up the pumpkins."
Michael C. Saltz and his two children were hunkered down before three pumpkins on a table at the E.F Lane Hotel early Saturday afternoon. This was their second year at the festival, which they learned about through the American Automobile Association.
"Do you think that looks like California," he asked, pointing to a carved out portion of his pumpkin.
Saltz came from Bakersfield, Calif., with his two children, Jonathan and Adrienne.
Starting early on, the Railroad Square log-in station had an advantage over the other log-in stations: dryness. Volunteers deftly moved the log-in station from its exposed Railroad square locale to a prime spot under an awning a few feet away.
Thomas K. Link of Keene, who worked at the station in the morning, did not know if this affected its popularity, but he estimated they checked in 350-450 pumpkins between 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
"Business has been brisker than I expected with this weather, " said Link, who has volunteered at the event for seven years. "People come in great spirits every year no matter what the weather. It's a great community thing."
Ted Ells, 7-months-old, was enjoying the crowds on Main Street from a perch on his father's chest while his two older sisters, Caroline, 4 and Elizabeth, 6, got their faces painted.
"Last year Ted was inside me, and now he can see it all for himself riding with his dad," said Ted's mom, Christina Ells.
Her husband Mark was concerned that Keene would have difficulty breaking the record with the rain. However, Caroline and Elizabeth, dressed in spider wading boots and warm fleeces, seemed unconcerned as they explained how they placed their pumpkins on the lower Main Street tower.
As 6 p.m approached, the rain was moving out and the crowds were moving in, forming a long line at the Gilbo Avenue log-in station. After checking in their pumpkins, people rushed to find a home for their jack-o'-lanterns and then examined the pumpkins carved by other festival goers.
While the four lit towers generated a lot of oohs and aahs, the most interesting pumpkins were often found hiding alongside their brethren on the wet grass and planked shelves laid out on Main Street.
Two pumpkins occupying a corner near Pumpkin Central had gourds spitting out of their mouths; one had pretzels for hair. A stream of people had their pictures taken with these two popular characters. A large pumpkin resting on the planed shelf on lower Main Street also attracted a lot of attention; it was smoking a lit cigar.
A life-sized human pumpkin, or to be exact, a human wearing a pumpkin, also got a lot of attention Saturday evening. Jason T. Desruisseau of Troy wore a huge pumpkin on his head. A friend served as a guide as he wandered down Main Street.
My son Sean moved up to Keene, New Hampshire in the Spring to take summer classes in preparation for his transfer from Brookdale to Keene State College. He loves it up there and vows never to return to New Jersey, as a resident. We've visited the area and it IS very nice, much less congested and filled with many down to earth, friendly people. Kind of like a mountainess Freehold Borough, not surrounded by the rudeness of snooty former New Yorkers like those now living in Marlboro and Manalapan!
In any case, Keene is known for its annual Pumpkin Festival at Halloween time. In addition to vying for the world record of carved pumpkins each year - as many as 24,000 - the downtown is transformed into a fun place filled with food, games and music. Sounds like a fun time for all and people seem to come from all over to attend.
Here is last year's report on the festivities. If anyone is so bold to carry this idea forward to the Partnership, be my guest.
Keene Pumpkin Festival History
Pumpkin Festival: Not a record, but thousands of people have a great time in downtown Keene
By ERIKA COHEN for SentinelSource
A festive crowd filled Main Street Saturday evening and let out a collective sigh when the final count was announced: 18,882.
Even though this was 4,845 jack-o'-lanterns short of the world record set in 2000 -- 23,727 lit pumpkins -- and also short of last year's total, the crowd of about 45,000 people quickly recovered. Within seconds their attention turned to the fireworks display and the cheerful mood that had persisted all day despite the rain, which had by then stopped.
"We thought it would be a washout, but it was great," said Ellen L. Brandenburg. "The people watching here are great, and so is seeing all of the pumpkins. We're just absorbing the culture."
Brandenburg, who lives in Keene half the week as an interim minister at the Unitarian Universalist church, is a festival first timer. She was joined by her husband and adult daughter.
Roe-Ann Tasoulas said she was disappointed with the low count, but said that with the rainy conditions, she was pleased to get so many people and pumpkins. And so many volunteers.
"We had at least 1,000 volunteers over the course of the event," she said. "Their help was incredible."
According to Cheshire County Sheriff Richard A. Foote, the festival went smoothly except for a few children temporarily separated from their parents.
Main Street was alive with color, sound and good smells. Odors of fried dough, coffee, hamburgers, hot dogs, soup and popcorn emanated from the tarp-covered vendor stands. Brightly colored umbrellas, raincoats and costumed children added to the orange from the thousands of pumpkins to create a world alight in color. And music from three stages and loudspeakers had everyone in good spirits.
While early morning rain kept the crowds thin, The Monadnock Squares took advantage of the open space and danced in the streets. The local square dance group happily promenaded and doe-see-doed around Central Square, oblivious of the rain or cold. Some members of the festive group wore bright yellow slickers and rain hats that could be seen from part way down Main Street at about noontime.
"I wasn't sure anyone would show up," said Carol A. Symonds, a member of the dance group. "But they are all here and we're having fun."
The Gilbo Avenue area, new last year, was a huge hit. A climbing wall, seed-spitting contest, pie-eating contest, and arts and crafts lured crowds off Main Street and provided some friendly competitive events.
Visiting from Atlanta, the Alexander family said the weather was a bit of a shock, but that they were having a lot of fun. Especially at the seed spitting contest, where Deborah L. Alexander surprised her husband and three children with a 14 foot, 7 inch seed spit.
"You did a really good job at that spitting thing," said Michael, 4, grinning up at his mom. His two older brothers, Nicholas and Steve, nodded in agreement.
William W. Harris, the self-proclaimed "Gilbo Avenue guy" said the festival was a huge success this year, like every other year, because of the "human spirit" of the many volunteers who made it happen. He said the weather might make a record difficult, but that wasn't most important.
"What's so neat about the festival is that everyone can contribute in some way," said Harris, a Center Stage board member. "You look around and just about every single person has made a contribution whether it is helping with set up or cleanup or manning a booth or lining up the pumpkins."
Michael C. Saltz and his two children were hunkered down before three pumpkins on a table at the E.F Lane Hotel early Saturday afternoon. This was their second year at the festival, which they learned about through the American Automobile Association.
"Do you think that looks like California," he asked, pointing to a carved out portion of his pumpkin.
Saltz came from Bakersfield, Calif., with his two children, Jonathan and Adrienne.
Starting early on, the Railroad Square log-in station had an advantage over the other log-in stations: dryness. Volunteers deftly moved the log-in station from its exposed Railroad square locale to a prime spot under an awning a few feet away.
Thomas K. Link of Keene, who worked at the station in the morning, did not know if this affected its popularity, but he estimated they checked in 350-450 pumpkins between 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
"Business has been brisker than I expected with this weather, " said Link, who has volunteered at the event for seven years. "People come in great spirits every year no matter what the weather. It's a great community thing."
Ted Ells, 7-months-old, was enjoying the crowds on Main Street from a perch on his father's chest while his two older sisters, Caroline, 4 and Elizabeth, 6, got their faces painted.
"Last year Ted was inside me, and now he can see it all for himself riding with his dad," said Ted's mom, Christina Ells.
Her husband Mark was concerned that Keene would have difficulty breaking the record with the rain. However, Caroline and Elizabeth, dressed in spider wading boots and warm fleeces, seemed unconcerned as they explained how they placed their pumpkins on the lower Main Street tower.
As 6 p.m approached, the rain was moving out and the crowds were moving in, forming a long line at the Gilbo Avenue log-in station. After checking in their pumpkins, people rushed to find a home for their jack-o'-lanterns and then examined the pumpkins carved by other festival goers.
While the four lit towers generated a lot of oohs and aahs, the most interesting pumpkins were often found hiding alongside their brethren on the wet grass and planked shelves laid out on Main Street.
Two pumpkins occupying a corner near Pumpkin Central had gourds spitting out of their mouths; one had pretzels for hair. A stream of people had their pictures taken with these two popular characters. A large pumpkin resting on the planed shelf on lower Main Street also attracted a lot of attention; it was smoking a lit cigar.
A life-sized human pumpkin, or to be exact, a human wearing a pumpkin, also got a lot of attention Saturday evening. Jason T. Desruisseau of Troy wore a huge pumpkin on his head. A friend served as a guide as he wandered down Main Street.