Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By SARAH LAUZON
Bessemer — This weekend, the Pumpkin Festival will be celebrated, marking the 44th year of this Bessemer tradition. Events will run from today through Sunday.
A 50/50 raffle and a geocaching contest will begin today. Those looking to enter the geocaching contest can pick up a Bessemer Pumpkin Hunt map from either Bessemer Dairy Queen or the Pumpkinfest Facebook page.
Festival chairman Donna Frello is looking forward to the event. “The weather promises to be excellent,” Frello told The Globe.
The majority of events in the festival are completely free to attend and enter. “It’s mostly free, thanks to our generous sponsors, volunteers and businesses,” Frello said, expressing her excitement to offer free events to the community. “I mean, who else has a free carnival?”
Each day of the festival will offer specific events. Today, a 4 p.m. spaghetti dinner will be held at the American Legion. Friday’s events will include fish fry at area restaurants, a U.S. Army-sponsored rock climbing wall and live street music.
Saturday is the Pumpkinfest’s family fun day and is jam-packed with events for all ages. The day will kick off with a Pumpkin Pancake Breakfast at St. Sebastian School.
A kiddie parade will begin on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. with lineup for those participating starting at 10 at City Hall. Trunk-or-treat will be available to all at the end of the route. Dress-up is encouraged, but all kids are welcome to participate.
Throughout the day, many contests will be open, allowing the public to show off their pumpkin seed-spitting and pumpkin pie-eating skills. Pumpkins also will be available to decorate, and people can enter their furry friends into a pet costume contest.
Saturday’s events also include a craft fair, where many local vendors will show their wares in the Bessemer high school gymnasium. Other displays will include an antique tractor/farm display, a fire truck display, a magic show, and a balloon-twisting clown.
Free carnival rides on Sophie Street will be available on Friday and Saturday.
Sunday will conclude the festival with a harvest dinner at Bessemer VFW Post 3673, where winners of the 50/50 raffle and the geocaching contest will be announced.
Check the ad spread on pages 20 and 21, along with the Pumpkinfest Facebook page, for festival details.
As Frello assured, “Truly, it’s something for everyone.”
