Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
SINGER AND ventriloquist Dave Parker - aptly dressed as a pumpkin - leads last Saturday's kiddie parade during the Pumpkin Festival in Bessemer. He performed afterward from "Pumpkin Square."
By P.J. GLISSON
Bessemer - The 42nd annual Pumpkin Festival filled the main street of Bessemer with bustling pedestrians - many dressed in a nod to Halloween - and an endless slate of activity last Saturday.
The event ran from Sept. 23-25 with last Saturday being the biggest day of the family-friendly extravaganza.
South Sophie Street - the main street - was strictly a walking zone, with vendors selling various wares and a team of folks in orange T-shirts selling 50-50 tickets.
Picnic tables were strewn along the sidewalks, and free carnival rides were available within a pocket park and an empty lot on the corner of East Sellar Street.
Dressed as a pumpkin, singer and ventriloquist Dave Parker led the kiddie parade, which included both adults and kids dressed as princesses, super heroes, little law enforcers, and furry "animals" in pastel fur. One baby was dressed as a pumpkin and another - in black-and-white striped gear - was labeled as a "cutie convict."
Emcee Linda Malmberg, dressed as a Dalmatian, made announcements from "Pumpkin Square," which included a raised stage on the corner of East Longyear Street by the U.S. Post Office.
A pet costume contest was a big hit with the audience, allowing animals of all sizes to strut their stuff in front of an audience that rewarded them with smiles, laughs and coos.
Maggie Boggetto of Bessemer won the first prize $100 gift certificate for her dog, Mavis, dressed as a witch. Ali Willame of Wakefield won second prize for her dog, Lucy, dressed as Raggedy Ann. Both owners dressed to match their dogs.
Other winners included Jennie Wigstadt of the Wausau, Wisconsin, area, whose dog, Ellie, was dressed as a bee; Leah Busch of Bessemer, whose dog, Dexter, was a boxer, complete with gloves; and Oivo and Toivo, patriotically garbed goats led by Sarah Nelson of Ironwood.
"She looks absolutely bee-eutiful," quipped Malmberg as she announced Ellie, "the bumble dog."
Additional contenders included Bon Bon, wrapped in tulle and led by Suzanne Pazdernik of Bessemer. Despite shameless schmoozing with the judges, Bon Bon did not win, but still reaped other rewards in the way of treats, pets and a festival full of delicious aromas.
Saturday's temperatures were crisp but pleasant, with a host of warm, comforting foods such as roast beef, chili dogs, pizza, barbecue, and plenty of other snacks and treats, including smoked fish.
In keeping with the theme, whole pumpkins and bags of apples also were available, along with candy apples.
The day started with a pumpkin pancake breakfast and also offered other festival-themed events such as pumpkin bowling; pumpkin bingo; pumpkin crafts; and contests in pumpkin-decorating, pumpkin-eating and pumpkin spitting.
Additional activity included music by the Gogebic Range Band and Shawn Kitto, a dessert social, a craft fair, a sidewalk chalk contest, a horseshoe tournament, an open house at the Bessemer Historical Society, and an antique tractor display and tractor pull.
Other festival fun featured geocaching and raffles that began on Thursday. The carnival started on Friday, along with live music by Lake Effect on the main street. Sunday's schedule included a pulled pork/chicken dinner, music by Mike Keating and a silent auction at Bessemer VFW Post 3673.
The festival had taken a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but returned with high energy this year despite ongoing road construction and brief rain.
