It is a Barrhead tradition.
For the last 13-years, area children and the young at heart, have followed a path of jack-o-lanterns carved by local school students, receiving up treats along the way.
This year’s event will take place on Friday, Oct. 25 at the Barrhead Sportsgrounds. Gates open at 6 p.m. and fireworks are slated to begin at about 8 p.m.
Although the Pumpkin Walk is free, participants are asked to bring a non-perishable food item for the food bank.
The event started by Pembina West Co-op general manager Allan Cote began when noticed Barrhead did not have any family-friendly, safe alternatives to trick-or-treating.
The popular event, which attracts upwards of 4,000 people, moved to the sportsgrounds three-years ago when the event outgrew its old location at the Paddle River Golf Course.
Amanda Lambert, one of the organizers of the event, said there was no need to change.
“We are very happy at the Sportsground,” she said. “It is a much better location for us. Parking is easier and it just gives us more options and the town has been wonderful to work with.”
As for what this year’s event will look like, Lambert said it is pretty much the same as it was in years past with a few tweaks.
Event-goers will still be guided along a path of about 600 jack-o-lanterns to about a dozen booths anchored by long-time sponsors Pembina West Co-op, Freson Brothers, New Dignity Memorial and the Town of Barrhead. This year, however, organizers are adding a carnival game section and hopefully a photo booth.
Footworks Dance Academy’ Spooky Dancers dance troop will also be on-site performing their crowd favourite Thriller dance routine.
To prepare for the event the volunteer committee started work in August.
“We have a pretty good group of about a dozen people,” Lambert said, noting although the Pumpkin Walk is well established in the community, the committee is only in its second year.
Last year the future of the event was in doubt. In the spring of 2018, long-time sponsor Pembina West Co-op announced they could no longer organize the event and asked that another group or organization pick up the reigns.
For about three months, it looked like the Pumpkin Walk was dead in the water until Lambert along with fellow Rose Garden Chapel co-worker Dwayne Magus stepped up just before the Labour Day long weekend.
Within 12 days, the committee has recruited more than half of its 12-member board, contacted the area schools to see how many pumpkins they wanted. A few days after that a supplier was secured.
As for those who want to get involved in the event, Lambert said there is still time. The committee is hoping people will step forward to sponsor a booth and volunteers are always needed, especially for set up and tear down.
The pumpkins will be delivered to Barrhead Elementary School (BES) the day before, giving the students time to carve their masterpieces. On the morning of the event, the completed jack-o-lanterns are picked up by volunteers and placed.
For more information about the walk, contact Lambert at [email protected] or visit them on Facebook.
