Josh Felter approaches the dock to take first place in his heat at the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest Regatta on Monday, Oct. 9. This year’s Pumpkinfest was a successful celebration despite a hard growing season, according to organizers, and featured the post-pandemic return of several events. (Johnathan Riley photo)
Damariscotta Pumpkinfest and Regatta’s 18th year marked the end of a challenging, wet growing season that still yielded enough giant pumpkins to celebrate with large crowds and the return of several pre-pandemic events. Though one weekend day featured continuous rain, crowds were level with previous years during the rest of the festival, according to observers.
“You can plan all year for this, and then it rains on Saturday,” co-founder Bill Clark said. “I think we made up for it on Sunday and Monday. It was another great year.”
Weigh-offs, pumpkin art, family activities, and the Great Pumpkin Parade were rejoined by the pumpkin derby, pumpkin dessert contest, and pie-eating contest for a full schedule.
The opening giant pumpkin weigh-offs historically held at Pinkham’s Plantation in Damariscotta took place at Louis Doe Home Center in Newcastle on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. Clark said it was “time to make a move” looking to the future, which worked out well this year. A raked gravel yard made for smooth pumpkin delivery for weigh-offs and indoor warehouse space held boatbuilding activities.
A total of 108 donated pumpkins came in this year, despite a cold, humid, and rainy season.
“That was surprising, because it was a lousy year for growers,” Clark said.
Regular professional contributors Matt and Russell Holmes called him earlier this year to say only five of their plants were bearing fruit.
“I told him, ‘Get out there and plant more,’” Clark said.
The Holmes brothers brought 39 pumpkins to Damariscotta in the end, more than half of the number distributed across town.
According to Clark, the 78 pumpkins deployed were one of the festival’s high numbers. Extras ended up at a local farm.
Artists spent Friday, Oct. 6 decorating pumpkins on the sidewalks of town, using knives, paint, props, and in one case, a fog machine. Some pumpkins were safe beneath tents on Saturday morning, Oct. 7, shelter occasionally shared by parade watchers.
“There was not a whole lot of damage,” Clark said, aside from some paint touch-ups on Sunday, Oct. 8.
No events were canceled for rain this year.
Saturday’s Giant Pumpkin Parade drew a crowd despite continuous rain and, though some participants did not march, the festivities stretched for an hour. Local first responders, businesses, bands, nonprofits, a roller derby team, and more were met by enthusiastic cheers along Main Street.
Damariscotta Region Chamber of Commerce and Information Bureau Executive Director Lisa Hagen said she had never seen the streets so empty during the festival as they were on Saturday morning, but crowds for the parade were more than expected.
“(Sunday) was great,” she said. “It looked like a Pumpkinfest.”
Skies cleared on Monday morning, Oct. 9 for a packed regatta in Damariscotta Harbor featuring three individual heats, one for bankers, two relays, and a motorboat heat.
Hagen said this year’s pumpkin derby was the largest ever, returning for the first time since before the pandemic. Youth raced decorated 15- to 20-pound pumpkins downhill to a large and enthusiastic crowd.
A pie-eating contest with youth, adult, and dog categories also returned this year alongside the dessert-making contest.
The discontinued, beloved pumpkin drop could return in the future if young and committed volunteers put in the effort, Hagen said.
Visitors were also brought to town by train for the first time with special trips by Midcoast Railservice, which has started test trips along the tracks parallel to Route 1.
Other events throughout the festival included an outing at Wawenock Golf Club, decorated hay bale pumpkins, a pumpkin pancake breakfast at American Legion Post No. 42 on Saturday morning, KidsZone activities at the CLC YMCA, and a kids’ pumpkin hunt.
Clark said finding volunteers is always a challenge, but helping hands were well-organized this year.
“It takes a village to put on Pumpkinfest,” he said.
Decorated pumpkins will remain on display until Sunday, Oct. 15, according to organizers. For more information, go to damariscottapumpkinfest.com.
