Lions Club Will Launch Its New Event Halloween Weekend

Newtown Lions Club is hoping that its new event — The Great Pumpkin Race — created just for fun, will become another successful tradition by the group that has already brought Newtown The Great Pootatuck Duck Race and an annual Ford Mustang raffle, among other communitywide events.

Have you just finished carving the scariest pumpkin sure to frighten all neighborhood children? Or perhaps your pumpkin has a racy look and a lop-sided grin that is really funny? Or have you designed a pumpkin that is absolutely beautiful?

If any of these carved and/or decorated pumpkins belong to you, then attendance at the Newtown Lions Club Great Pumpkin Race is a must. Scheduled for Saturday, October 30, in the parking lot behind Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street, from 1 to 4 pm, these pumpkins will be put into one of four groups, depending on the decorator’s age: 8 and under, 9–12, 13–17 and 18 and older.

Rain date will be Sunday, October 31.

The pumpkins will be judged by age category, with officials looking for Scariest, Funniest, and Best Decorated. Prizes await the lucky winners.

Also, front and center that day will be the pumpkin races themselves. To enter, pumpkins may be huge or tiny but must be mounted on wheels — not skates or skateboards — with an axle that goes through the pumpkin. Age groups are the same as for the decorating contest.

Lions would prefer that entrants construct their racers at home and that way they can try them before the event. If parents or children are thoroughly stymied about how to go about this, Lions mechanics will be able to assemble a race pumpkin for you. There will be a charge for this as well as for purchase of a pumpkin if needed, and due to the time it will take to construct a racing pumpkin, the Lions have set a limit of 25 pumpkins-for-hire.

A third event will be a pumpkin pie contest. Each entrant must submit an entry form by October 25. Bakeries, professional bakers, and relative of judges are prohibited from entering this competition.

Two pies in aluminum plates should be brought to the site between noon and 1 pm. They must not have a premade or store-bought crust, and they cannot be cream pies.

Pies will be judged on the basis of taste, texture, appearance, and overall impression. The judging panel will include tasters and chefs from local restaurants.

Winners will be announced at 3 pm. Prizes will be awarded to the three top-rated submissions.

Finally, a parade of costumes will take place midafternoon, around the same time the medieval trebuchet will fire off some pumpkins. Constructed by Newtown Middle School shop teacher Don Ramsey, his classes, and Mark Michaud, the trebuchet is something to behold.

There is entry fee of $5 for the pumpkin racing contest and the pumpkin decorating contest. There is no charge for the baking contest, and spectators are welcome free of charge.