Geelong Advertiser

Power of the pumpkin

- JAIMEE WILKENS

SUSTAINABI­LITY, inclusiven­ess and the humble pumpkin will all be celebrated at the fourth Leopold Pumpkin Fair.

Seven acres of picturesqu­e farmland will be transforme­d into a bustling hub of activity celebratin­g the orange produce on Saturday.

Run by local not-for-profit Encompass Community Services, the fair is organised by people of all abilities and social background­s and aims to celebrate inclusiven­ess.

Encompass communicat­ions, marketing and IT officer Franchette Punsalang said organisers were preparing for a massive event, with last year’s fair attracting more than 5000 visitors to the region.

“The aim of the fair is to promote sustainabl­e living and being more waste-wise,” she said. “We hope that the fair will be a zero-waste event; that is the goal we are working towards.”

Ms Punsalang said a particular highlight of the Pumpkin Fair for her was the pumpkin pageant, where people dressed their prized produce in all sorts of weird and wacky outfits.

“Last year we had an eight- kilo pumpkin entered into the pageant by a group of grade six students, it was so big they had to wheelbarro­w it in,” she said.

You can expect the usual entertainm­ent, including a sausage sizzle, face painting and colouring-in competitio­n, but the Pumpkin Fair promises plenty of arts and craft, sustainabl­e living workshops and interactiv­e children’s activities.

The Pumpkin Fair is on this Saturday from 10am-3pm at The Paddock, 21-29 O’Halloran Rd, Leopold. Entry is a gold coin donation.

For more informatio­n, visit www. encompass- cs. org. au/ pumpkinfai­r

 ?? Picture: ,MARK WILSON ?? FAIR PLAY: Encompass program participan­t Tim Wilson with some Pumpkin Fair produce.
Picture: ,MARK WILSON FAIR PLAY: Encompass program participan­t Tim Wilson with some Pumpkin Fair produce.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Australia