THE BATTLEFORDS — As fall settles in and the harvest draws to a close across the Battlefords, Midwest Food Resources in North Battleford is looking forward to their 2nd Annual Pumpkin Festival on Sept. 23.
The festival, which will be free this year, will be held at their community gardens at 1262 Gagne Avenue and will run from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
"There's nothing like this around North Battleford, there's lots of different kinds of activities but not the Pumpkin Festival," Vesna Fa, the organization's executive director told the News-Optimist.
"We think there's a big need because there's lots of gardeners and farmers that should be proud of everything they grew over the season."
This year, the festival will be free following resounding support from local businesses and community members helping to sponsor the event like Innovation Credit Union, Battleford's Furniture, Artrageous and more.
"So I think last year I said we'd get bigger and better, so that's what we are getting."
The festival will include activities such as live entertainment, family activities, vendors, booths from local non-profits, a pig roast, and a slew of vegetable competitions with prizes for the weirdest carrot, longest beet, biggest potato, and a menagerie of other vegetable-centric-prizes.
"It's really exciting. We're really excited ... one gentleman called he said he had an over 300-pound pumpkin. And it was like, 'yes, this is what we're looking for.'"
