By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The 28th annual Pumpkinfest is a little more than week away and preparations are underway for the festival.
One big task is helping prepare the pumpkins for the famous pumpkin mountain, which Pony Express Museum Executive Director Cindy Daffron says will start on Monday with gutting the 120 or so pumpkins
"And then the carving task goes on, because we try to take businesses who have contributed to our mountain to build it and carve that pumpkin for them, so that it can light up on Friday night, October 4th," Daffron tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr.
If you're interested in helping prepare the pumpkins, you can contact Daffron at the museum to volunteer. Lunch will be provided. On Tuesday and Wednesday carving will begin.
Daffron says also on Monday help will be needed to take pumpkins to area schools.
"And every school is like, we knew you were going to call the kids are so excited, it's a lot of fun to use your talent and then the kids get to come and see some of their work of art," Daffron says. "So, when you can come and see that mountain light up at 8'o clock both nights, right on time, it's quite a great event."
The pumpkin mountain will be lit up at 8pm on Friday and Saturday night during the festival. The annual festival fills the area with vendors, music, and lots of family fun for everyone.
And the best part, Daffron says, is it's entirely free.
"We're paying to do the entertainment, we're bringing stuff on, so all you have to do is buy your food, so come and enjoy something that's a family event," Daffron explains. "I hear commonly, if I bring my family, the mother can stay with the children in the children's tent, the dad can go to listen to music and they can swap out, the kids can stay there an hour, hour and a half, while the parents are also enjoying part of what's on there."
Pumpkinfest will run October 4th through the 6th, beginning at 5pm on the 4th and noon on the 5th and 6th.