This year, from Oct. 8-10, there will be more sculpted pumpkins along High and Main streets than before so “festival-goers can look at them, but also keep a safe distance. They’re not going to be all congested in one area," Hufford said.
Many businesses downtown along High Street — and this year, Main Street — will have hours that are synchronized with the festival’s time of 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
“They’re going to have fall specials, or any kind of specials getting ready for the fall and Christmas season, that our festival-goers can go to their shops and eat, drink and be local that weekend,” Hufford said.
This year, the festival is happening on Thursday, Friday and Saturday because many of the shops are not open Sundays.
Brian LeVick, owner of Future Great Comics, said he is pleased this year’s event will include Main Street. This year’s event coincides with his store’s fourth anniversary, and he will be holding a “Grand Reopening,” with a “revamped and reimagined store, featuring some new products.”
“With the corona, I’m just happy they’re able to do something with it,” said LeVick, who also has been a vendor in past years, when Operation Pumpkin was only in the downtown area.
The weigh-off of giant pumpkins will not happen because “that is something that draws a lot of people,” Hufford said. “So we just felt there wasn’t a safe way for us to have that event, and keep people healthy and safe.”
“Great Wall Pumpkins,” which will be in the 30-to-50-pound range, can be sponsored to help support the event. The sponsors' names will be inscribed with air-brush paint, and the sponsors will be able to take them home after the event. Although one of the top pumpkin-carvers last year passed away, a crew of pumpkin sculptors still will work their craft on pumpkins in Columbus, before they are transported to Hamilton.
“Next year, 2021, is our 10-year anniversary, so we’re really hoping to come back bigger and better than we’ve ever done,” Hufford said. “This year, it’s very altered. We’re making the best we can in 2020, and just gearing up for next year.”
People wanting to sponsor pumpkins can go to operation-pumpkin.org. They also can get to the website through the organization’s Facebook page.
“The best way for us to be able to do that this year is to support those local businesses who have invested in our downtown, and they’re a part of what we have going on every day,” Hufford said. “So it was our way to give back to them in especially a tough year as everybody’s had.”
About the Author
