HOW TO GO
WHAT: Operation Pumpkin
WHEN: Friday, Oct. 2, through Sunday, Oct. 4. Hours are: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
WHERE: Downtown Hamilton
ADMISSION: Free admission and free parking. Items will be available for purchase.
MORE INFO: www.operation-pumpkin.org and the Operation Pumpkin Facebook page
Celebrate the season with a fall festival that focuses on pumpkins, arts and crafts, amusement rides, live entertainment, family friendly activities and so much more.
In its fourth year, Operation Pumpkin 2015, will bring festivalgoers together for a pumpkin and arts festival on Friday, Oct. 2, through Sunday, Oct. 4, in downtown Hamilton. The free, three-day event is expected to draw more than 25,000 attendees.
“Since it is our fourth year, we’ve have been able to see what’s worked and what hasn’t worked, and we fine tune it every year. We are bringing back the wine garden, which was a big hit our first year,” said Tammy Snyder, who chairs the event with her husband and event founder, Jason. “We have also partnered with so many people now, and our advertising is a lot greater. We have billboards that encompass a 50-mile radius, so we are reaching into Indiana at this point.”
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Jim Grimm Park in Hamilton, Snyder said. The park was recently renamed after the founder of the original Operation Pumpkin event, which was held in the 1950’s through the 1970’s.
For festivalgoers, pumpkins are the main attraction, including about 30 professionally sculpted pumpkins, a sanctioned, giant pumpkin weigh-off and a decorated pumpkin display.
“This is a fun, family, fall event that is based around giant pumpkins, which is something most people don’t get to see, even though we are in the middle of the giant pumpkin-growing portion of the United States. It’s a sanctioned weigh-off, where growers haul their giant pumpkins, up to 2,000 pounds, from states away for prize money,” Snyder said
Operation Pumpkin is a sanctioned event by the Southern Ohio Giant Pumpkin Growers Association (www.sogpg.com). With the sanctioned event, there will be giant pumpkin weigh-offs, which will begin on Friday afternoon. Competitors will have pumpkins on display that weigh up to 2,000 pounds, or more, as well as watermelons, tomatoes and long gourds. Top winners will receive cash prizes. In 2014, Bill Neptune, broke the Ohio state record with a 2,008-pound giant pumpkin.
“Operation Pumpkin would not be possible without the generous sponsors, donations, volunteers and our planning committee,” said Snyder.
There will be live entertainment from the Stagger Lee Band on Friday, Oct. 2, at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, Oct. 3, The Newbees (a Beatles tribute band) will take the stage at 7 p.m.
Among other highlights, The Lil’ Miss Punkin contest is always popular every year. The YMCA will offer children’s activities on Saturday. A pet parade will be held on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Scarecrow Stilt Walkers from Cincinnati Circus Company also will return and there will be 1,200 decorated pumpkins on display, crafted by fourth-grade students from Hamilton-area schools. A Zombie 5K Run/Walk will be held on Saturday at 4 p.m.
“There’s something for every age group, whether it’s entertainment, food, or just to see the downtown alive with activity again. It’s a great thing to see,” Snyder said.
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