Pumpkins and parties weren’t the only excitement happening during this year’s Keene Pumpkin Festival. Surrounding Gilbo Avenue and Emerald Street in downtown Keene were food vendors who set up stands from 11:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m.. The smell of french fries, fried pickles, donuts and baked potatoes floated through the air and into the chaotic crowd of hungry people.
One stand, the Hooper Hill Hoppers Snowmobilers Club, came from Walpole, New Hampshire for their fourth Pumpkin Fest. They were selling baked potatoes containing anything from just butter, for $4, to fully loaded for $6. Mike Powers, one club member, said it was important for the club to be there because it is a major fundraiser for them.
Haley Erdbrink / Equinox Staff:
Local businesses, church groups, non-profit organizations, high school sports teams and many more set up their vendor tents at Pumpkin Fest.
“We need this to survive,” Powers said. The money the club earns at Pumpkin Fest is put toward helping the club, such as keeping the snowmobiling trails clean and neat. Besides that, Pumpkin Fest is also always a “fun outing” for the club, Powers said.
“Pumpkin Cheesecake! Five dollars!” was shouted from the Colwen Hotel Management stand at the beginning of Gilbo Ave.
The management from Keene is associated with the Lane Hotel, the Holiday Inn, and the Marriott. “We’re part of the community,” worker Shendel Christian said when asked why it was important for her to be at Pumpkin Festival this year.
She said it was important for the group to make memories and have fun. On their menu, the Colwen Hotel Management had fare such as cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory and coffee from Starbucks.
Kristen Zaleski, a student at Keene State College, came for her fifth Pumpkin Fest, and bought one of the loaded baked potatoes. She said it was efficiently made with only a short wait in line. Her potato had fresh vegetables, real cheese and real bacon.
“Nothing processed. It’s nice to have that,” Zaleski said. “I guess in a way it’s healthier,” she said, when comparing it to other types of foods at the festival. Zaleski, like many, said it is a tradition for her to come to Pumpkin Fest every year. She really appreciated how there are so many fundraisers, and a lot of the money earned is through donations.
Paige Jedziniak, a Pumpkin Fest-visitor from Massachusetts, came to Keene for her third festival. She bought fried dough from another vendor and was very impressed. She continues to come to Pumpkin Fest because “There [are] awesome pumpkins everywhere and lots of good food. It’s a lot of fun,” Jedziniak said.
The food was a big part of Pumpkin Fest for some. Around every corner was someone indulging in a meal and saying ‘Mmm!’ Many of the vendors said Pumpkin Fest is something they love doing and would like to continue participating in for years to come.
Danielle Mulligan can be contacted at dmulligan@keene-equinox.com