by Rachel Hunter
The 10th Annual Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival will be held at the Gouverneur Fairgrounds on Sunday, September 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The one-day festival is presented by the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association and the Gouverneur Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with many sponsors, including RSI Roofing, the Gouverneur Garden Club, Blevins Ford and Barry Turner (crane operator).
A crowd favorite now for a decade, the Giant Pumpkin Drop will be held at 4 p.m. This year, organizers said it will be dropped at the Horse Show Ring. The public is invited to purchase $5 raffle tickets. Each entrant’s corresponding number will be on a numbered golf ball that is put into a giant pumpkin in advance of the drop. The top three golf balls that travel the furthest are then determined, and the winners announced. Big cash payouts are promised, and the local winners will not be disappointed. The prize for the furthest ball traveled is $500, second place is $250, and third place is $100. Watch The Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Facebook page for pre-festival sale ticket locations. Fair Director Sean Peck told the Gouverneur Tribune Press this week that he has plans to be at the Kinney Drugs Parking Lot on Sunday, September 19, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Gouverneur Fair Directors will also have pumpkins on display and tickets on sale at the parking lot of Kinney Drugs (Main Street location) in Gouverneur on Friday, September 24 and at the Tractor Supply Company parking lot on Saturday, September 25.
Giant Pumpkin growers from all over the North Country will converge at the Gouverneur Fairgrounds for the 2021 Giant Pumpkin Weight Contests. All growers are asked to bring their entries on Saturday afternoon or before 10 a.m. on Sunday, September 26. The prizes in the senior division are as follows: first prize ($150), second prize ($100), and third prize ($50). The prizes in the junior division are as follows: first prize ($50), second prize ($25), and third prize ($10). The Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off will be held from 1 to 2 p.m., and the Giant Pumpkin Awards for youths and adults will be held at 2 p.m.
There also will be a Guess The Pumpkin Weight 50/50 Raffle, tickets will be $1 each. There also will be free pumpkin giveaways for the youth. Vendor space is still available to crafters, vendors, and flea marketers. The cost is $25 per spot, and registration forms are available at gouverneurfair.net and gouverneurchamber.net. Several food vendors have already registered, promising to satisfy tastebuds with many fair food delights. This includes Mullins, Cotton Candy N More, and Fowler Taffy.
The First United Methodist Church of Gouverneur has organized a 5K Pumpkin Walk/Run. Registration is $25, and open at 9:30 a.m. The walk/run will start at 9:45 a.m. Devotional Pilates will be held at 9 a.m. by Amber Ormasen in advance of the walk. The First United Methodist Church of Gouverneur will hold its church service in the cattle barn at 11 a.m.
From 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the Gouverneur Recreation Center will sponsor children’s activities. This includes a Scarecrow Workshop, $5. The Pumpkin Cruise-In Classic Car Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and all are invited to check out all the classic cars at the Gouverneur Fairgrounds. Bango Valley Percherons in Richville will present draft horse wagon rides for all to enjoy. This will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fair officials also said that Steelin’ Country will perform from 12:30 to 2 p.m.
Children are also invited to take a ride on the Cow Train around the Gouverneur Fairgrounds during the Pumpkin Festival.
Mark your calendars today to attend the 10th Annual Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival on Sunday, September 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Gouverneur Fairgrounds. Proceeds raised will help the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association with its building and maintenance fund. For more information on the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair, visit gouverneurfair.net.