Ready to Roll: Pumpkin Fest Organizers Hope for Success

EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to weather, this event has been moved to Sunday, Oct. 30.

As Darin Pesnell carries the contraption in, he gets quite a few looks from passers-by on Bridge Street.

A few minutes later, his wife Krissy realizes the attention-grabbing potential on the sidewalk, and with the derby racer in tow, she begins handing out flyers promoting the upcoming Phoenixville Pumpkin Fest at Reeves Park.

On its own, the contraption—a pumpkin decked out with wheels—gets some stares, but it’s also a great way to get the word out about a new festival coming to the borough.

“There’s a lot of enthusiasm,” Krissy Pesnell said. “Apparently other people share my love of pumpkins.”

She’s always enjoyed carving pumpkins, and the Pesnells, who are with IronWorks Church, hoped for a small neighborhood gathering where people could carve pumpkins. Soon, the idea blossomed into much more than that, and the Pesnells found themselves knee-deep in planning what they hope will become a big hit in Phoenixville.

“We’d really love to see it become an annual event,” Krissy Pesnell said.

Two highlights of Phoenixville Pumpkin Fest, which will be held Oct. 29 at Reeves Park, include a timed pumpkin carving contest and something brand new to the area—a pumpkin derby. Boy Scouts will know right away what this entails, but for those of you who don’t know much about derbies, here’s a peek at how pumpkin derbies roll.

Darin Pesnell explained that the pumpkin racer pictured above took only about 10 minutes to slap together—though there’s admittedly a question of whether or not it’s “road legal” due to the wooden planks used.

Cheaters—those using rockets, motors or anything deemed illegal in the derby—will face the “mallet of justice.” They still get to race, but following the race the pumpkins will be smashed to bits, all part of the fun of pumpkin derbies.

Local businesses are getting involved, and Darin Pesnell said Molly Maguire’s issued a formal challenge in a derby race against other downtown pubs, and the challenge was accepted by two. There will be several races throughout the day, with prizes awarded to the winners, and prizes will also be awarded for decoration and design of derby racers.

The carving contest also comes with rules, though they’re very simple. Bring your uncarved pumpkin and your tools. Carvers get three hours to create a masterpiece. Participants can use patterns, and there are different categories, including a “tattoo” category sponsored by Into the Sun Living Arts. At 6 p.m. all the pumpkins will be lit (“You can’t really get the full effect of the pumpkins without them being lit,” Krissy explained) and the judges will take a final look.

In addition to the carving contest and derby, attendees can come enjoy food served up by local businesses. The event is free and everyone from the community is invited to attend and participate.

“We really need participants to make the event great,” Krissy Pesnell said.

In weeks leading up to the event, the community has seemed to welcome it with open arms, Krissy Pesnell said, and many local businesses jumped on board as sponsors.

“I really think this is right up Phoenixville’s alley,” Krissy Pesnell said.

If You Go:

When: Saturday, Oct. 29, 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Where: , Second and Main streets, Phoenixville

Cost: Free

Info on the Pumpkin Derby: Check out this YouTube video for a good how-to on building a racer. Bring your assembled car and register on-site.

Info on the Carving Contest: Bring a pumpkin free of marks or punctures. You have three hours to carve it and judging will take place after 6 p.m. Register by Oct. 26.

Prizes: These range from gift certificates to local restaurants to a YMCA membership and more. There will also be raffle prizes. See the full list on the Pumpkin Fest website.

More Information: See the Phoenixville Pumpkin Fest website for more information.

Editor's Note: This article was changed to reflect that pumpkin derby registration is on-site the day of the event rather than in advance.