by Rachel Hunter
Fair President Beth Martin selling raffle tickets ahead of the 2023 Gouverneur Pumpkin Fest’s Giant Pumpkin Drop, which will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday, September 24 at the Gouverneur Fairgrounds. The funds raised will go to support the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair. (Rachel Hunter photo)
The 12th Annual Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival, presented by the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair and the Gouverneur Chamber of Commerce, will be held on Saturday, September 23, noon to 6 p.m., and Sunday, September 24, 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. Much gratitude is extended to this year’s sponsors, including RSI Roofing, Gouverneur Garden Club, Blevins Ford, and Crane Operator Barry Turner.
A crowd favorite now for over a decade, the Giant Pumpkin Drop will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday. The public is invited to purchase $5 raffle tickets, and have the chance to win big cash prizes at the 2023 Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival. 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.
Tickets will be available for sale in pre-festival locations throughout the Gouverneur community. Fair Director Lyle Hotis of Gouverneur harvested his giant pumpkins on Wednesday, September 20 and they will be available for viewing in various locations before the Pumpkin Fest as volunteers sell pre-festival Giant Pumpkin Drop tickets. Follow the fair’s Facebook page for up-to-date information on the pre-festival ticket sale dates and locations.
One of the giant pumpkins grown by Mr. Hotis will be the one used for the 2023 Giant Pumpkin Drop on Sunday. Giant Pumpkin Drop tickets will also be available throughout the 2023 Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival on the Gouverneur Fairgrounds this Saturday and Sunday.
Giant Pumpkin growers from all over the North Country will converge at the Gouverneur Fairgrounds for the 2023 Giant Pumpkin Weight Contests. All growers can bring their entries on Saturday or Sunday. The Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off will be held on Sunday, 1 to 2 p.m., with the awards ceremony to follow. Prizes will be distributed to the top winners. The prizes in the senior division are as follows: first prize ($200), 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). 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, and registration forms are now available online at gouverneurfair.net and gouverneurchamber.net.
The 2023 Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival schedule is as follows:
The Pumpkin Festival fun will begin on Saturday, September 23 with craft show, children’s activities, vendors, food (hot dog cart, New York Pizzeria, Cotton Candy N More, Mullins, etc.), and games. There will be a chicken barbecue, $15 per dinner, starting at noon till sold out. Only 100 chicken halves will be available for sale, so all those interested in enjoying the scrumptious chicken barbecue dinner is encouraged to come early and enjoy the meals at the Gouverneur Fairgrounds. The Gouverneur Pumpkin Cruise-In Classic Car Show, sponsored by Blevins Ford, will be held on Saturday, 1 to 3 p.m. The long-awaited auction (in-person and Facebook live) will be held at the Gouverneur Fairgrounds Youth Building for the exceptional pieces created by chainsaw carving artist Jennifer Black at the 2023 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair. The North Country can preview the items anytime during the 2023 Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival. Advance photos have also been posted to the Don Peck Auctioneer Facebook page.
On Sunday, September 24, the fun will begin at 8 a.m. with registration for the First United Methodist Church of Gouverneur’s annual Pumpkin Run/Walk 5K. There will be yoga at 8:15 a.m., walk/run kick-off at 8:45 a.m., mat pilates at 9:45 a.m., and zumba at 10:05 a.m. The cost is a $35 registration fee. For more information, visit the event page on Facebook. The UMC Gouverneur Church Service will follow at 11 a.m. in the FFA Building.
The craft show and draft horse wagon rides (by Bango Valley Percherons) will be held on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Steelin’ Country will perform in the Youth Building from noon to 2 p.m. The Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. with the awards for youths and adults to follow. The Giant Pumpkin Drop will be held at 4 p.m. There also will be children’s activities by the Gouverneur Recreation Center on Sunday.
With something for everyone, the 2023 Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival promises to be a community event not to be missed. For more information, visit the Gouverneur Fair website, www.gouverneurfair.net.