Arbuckle hosts ninth annual pumpkin festival
After months void of most community events, Diana
Lytal, president of the Arbuckle Revitalization Committee, said the ninth annual Arbuckle Pumpkin Festival on Sunday was the most attended installment of the event to date.
“People were out here shopping even before we opened up at ten,” said Lytal. “And it has been pretty consistent all day.”
The Arbuckle Revitalization Committee has hosted the annual
event at Lavanche Hursh Park in Arbuckle on the first Sunday of October for almost a decade to welcome fall and the start of the holiday season.
Lytal said there were 30 vendors in attendance this year - the largest number they have had at this event to date.
Vendors were selling a little bit of everything, said Lytal, from homemade jewelry and jams to greeting cards, bags, tutus, glassware, honey, soaps, floral arrangements and more.
In addition to the many vendors, there was a pumpkin patch, a pumpkin painting station and the Colusa County Office of Education was handing out free books. Hugo’s Tacos and Pina’s Juice Bar were on site and there was also a face painting booth, which Lytal said was very popular this year, with people lining up for most of the event to wait their turn.
Lytal said the committee got four large bins of pumpkins from Perry’s Farm in Sacramento to turn the park into a pumpkin patch for this year’s festival.
“Another large bin was donated to us by Sweet
Briar Farms,” said Lytal. “I don’t know how many we had total, but there are a lot of pumpkins.”
According to Lytal, the committee also gave away free mini pumpkins to all children under the age of 12 that came to the festival dressed in costume.
“I love seeing the kids,” said Lytal. “Since they have been at home in quarantine for so long, I think they are having a lot of fun being out, seeing their friends and doing something outside for a change.”
While the Arbuckle Revitalization Committee organized the event,
Lytal said they receive great support from the community to make the event a reality each year. This year, members of the Pierce High School football team and Future Farmers of America helped to set up and break down the festival. Members of the Arbuckle High School cheer squad also helped out during the festivities, manning the pumpkin painting station.
“We are very grateful to be part of a community where we support each other so much,” said Lytal.
According to Lytal, the committee has already begun planning for their next holiday event - the annual Arbuckle Holiday Stroll, scheduled for Dec. 6.