The Great Pumpkin Wins The Race

Gathered around the candy bowls and jack-o-lanterns Saturday, October 30, were volunteers from Newtown Savings Bank (NSB), enjoying the Newtown Lions Club’s early Halloween treat.

A day ahead of the trick-or-treaters that would haunt Main Street Sunday evening was the club’s first-of-a-kind Great Pumpkin Race and costume party in the lot behind Edmond Town Hall where parents and children could build a racing pumpkin, assembling its wheels and axles to roll them down hill, sample baked goods, and participate in pumpkin decorating contests.

“It was just really neat,” said coordinator Gordon Williams. Roughly 200 participants enjoyed the event on a brisk but sunny afternoon to compete, taste pumpkin pies, and show off their Halloween costumes.

Greeting guests were NSB staff John Radici, Cheryl Jablonowski, Amy Kerce, and Marc Imbimbo, handing out bite-size candies. Nearby was Olivia Sims, bundled in a bright pink jacket and blowing bubbles. Another young lady, Olivia Brosnan, carried an Adopt A Family fundraising jar, hoping to gather funds for community members in need this season.

Children Fiona and Coleen Golden dressed as a pumpkin and fairy. Connor Sinapi wore a mustard-colored body suit and helmet as he raced with his pumpkin in the same outfit his father Greg had worn as a child.

Event coordinator and Lions member Gordon Williams spoke with guests and showed off the medieval trebuchet as demonstrated by Don Ramsey and Mark Machaud.

The device worked, “every time we fired it,” Mr Williams said.

Pumpkin race winners enjoyed prizes, including certificates to the Ferris Acres Creamer, Edmond Town Hall movie theater tickets, and a trip through the Castle Hill Farm corn maze. Lions also provided trophies.

Mr Williams also noted the event’s pie baking winners: Newtown resident Chris Chiriatti took third place, Sandy Hook residents Christine Calabrese won second place, and Jennifer Zulli of Newtown won first place. Winners received a bottle of wine from Degrazia Vineyards in Brookfield and gift certificates to the Mona Lisa restaurant, the Inn at Newtown, and Chao Chi restaurants, all in town.