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Dundee – What started 23 years ago at Harnica Kids Pumpkin Farms for a giant pumpkin weighing has grown into an autumn festival extravaganza.
Pumpkin Palooza takes place on Saturday, October 1, and promises a day full of free and fun activities for the whole family.
The Urban Development Authority took over the event from John Hanika, who retired five years ago.
“It was in Dundee before we took over it. As DDA, we decided to keep it in Dundee. We went from just weighing pumpkins to weighing pumpkins and a supplier show for the first year and then to a bigger supplier show And some food trucks. Well, this year we have pumpkin weigh-ins. We have 75 suppliers coming. We have food trucks. We have free pumpkin carvings for the kids, while supplies last, and free bounce houses for the kids ,” said Mary Schultz, DDA Secretary and President of Pumpkin Palooza.
The festival also has a free petting zoo and lowest-cost pony rides. A trick-or-treating station for kids is at the vendor display near the DDA Candy Stop banner. Kids should stop at the Kiwanis area first.
“At the (Kiwanis Club) station, they play games with the kids and they will hand out specific snack bags. So these kids can stop at the vendor show with these special snack bags and they’ll get about a pound Trick-or-treat candy. So we have a quarter ton of candy to distribute to these kids,” Schultz said.
This year, from 9am to 5pm, many new suppliers will be at the Supplier Show along with some of the crowd’s original favorites. There will be woodworking, jewelry, Scentsy, Salsa, Pampered Chef and soap and more.
The weighing will take place in the municipal parking lot at 350 West Monroe Street, which is located on the north side of the Raisin River, across the river from the Old Mill Museum. Check-in is from 9:00 am to 10:30 am, with weigh-ins starting at 11:00 am. Spectators at Palooza can park and shuttle off-site.
The heaviest pumpkin, first place is $3,000; second place, $1,500; third place, $750; fourth place, $500; fifth place, $200; sixth place, $100; seventh place , $75; 8th, $75; 9th, $50; 10th, $50.
This year they will be much heavier than the pumpkins. There will also be cash prizes for the heaviest pumpkins, watermelons, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, cantaloupes, bushel gourds and marrow; Howard Deere awards; longest long gourd; largest sunflower head; and tallest sunflower and corn.
For this year’s grown-ups, the gaming world will be joining the experts with their Axe Throwing trailer. Open-toed shoes are required. There will also be a Cornhole Championship.Registration starts at noon, competition starts at 2pm
New this year, the beer tent will now be open as normal on Friday nights and Saturdays. Music will be played around the neighborhood starting at 7pm on both occasions, with Flyte on stage on Friday and Not Fast Enuff front and center on Saturday.
There will also be many cutouts where people can take some hilarious selfies.
“We try to do everything here for free, minus one or two, and of course beer can’t be free. There’s a charge for beer and coolers,” Schultz said. “But most things are free, fun family entertainment because when you have a family of four or five they have to pick and choose what the kids can do. We try to make things free and fun for the kids.”
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