THE West Virginia Pumpkin Festival Note: Photo of BLENKO GLASS PUMPKIN 1997 . http://www.wvpumpkinpark.com/index.asp (for all the information including where to park) is held yearly in MILTON. Plan to Attend! Stop at BLENKO GLASS http://www.blenkoglass.com/ on the way to or from, for great Halloween items - PUMPKINS and other special treats!
HEART OF GLASS - /www.blenkoproject.org webmaster STEVE provided the following history of PUMPKIN FESTIVALS and lots of info from WIKI and other sources:
The Pumpkin Festival (a.k.a. Pumpkin Fest or P.Fest amongst teens) is a yearly celebration held in Keene, New Hampshire, The United States of America (USA) at Halloween. Each year, Keene residents and other citizens from around the area attempt to amass the largest number of lit jack-o'-lanterns in one place, trying to meet or beat the world record (which they held for many years).
The Pumpkin Fest previously held the record (as recognized by the Guinness World Records) of 28,952 [1] set at this celebration on October 25, 2003, but this was broken when Boston, Massachusetts collected 30,128 on October 21, 2006. At first it was believed that Boston did not have an official count, merely a sign in for each pumpkin. But it was later determined that each pumpkin was indeed registered and counted, causing Guinness to confirm the record in a certificate issued to Camp Sunshine, the event beneficiary and organizer of the festival. Camp Sunshine is a national non-profit retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.
The organizers attempt yearly to beat this record by encouraging businesses and individuals to create and donate jack-o'-lanterns which are displayed on many enormous banks of shelves and all available surfaces around the center of town.
The festivities also include fireworks, music, and food, and draw in people from all over New Hampshire and adjoining states.
Almost immediately after the pumpkin festival is over, the jack-o-lanterns are hauled away by volunteer work crews and given to pig farmers.
Over 80,000 people attended this event in 2006 in Keene, which has a population of nearly 23,000. People do not come from just the surrounding states, but all over the country and sometimes all over the world.
The 2006 festival was held on October 21st and boasted over 24,000 lit pumpkins.
The Pumpkin Festival of 2007 was held on Saturday, October 20.
[edit] Controversy
There has been some controversy in the Pumpkin Fest since last year's massing of over 80,000 people in one night, but less than 25,000 pumpkins were brought. Some people think that the festival has lost sight of its original meaning of bringing the local community together during harvest. Instead, many locals think it has become a circus fest while much of the people coming are from out of state. It is common to see many locals dodging the Fest. Indeed it is also quite common to notice that many of these locals are heavily under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs nearly every year at this time, especially those of their traditional, conservative nature. It has apparently irritated many of them because of the massive number of people congregating in the downtown area. Many restaurants become jammed, hotels booked and traffic and, according to some, getting around becomes an absolute nightmare.
However, those who have been to the recently competing "Life Is Good" pumpkin festival in Boston will deduce that in comparison, the Keene festival is not that overly crowded at all. Someone having recently attended both would say that Keene traffic (both vehicular and pedestrian) is really not bad. If you can't deal with the relatively mild congestion at the Keene festival, we would certainly not recommend that you attempt the Boston one.
The Pumpkin Fest previously held the record (as recognized by the Guinness World Records) of 28,952 [1] set at this celebration on October 25, 2003, but this was broken when Boston, Massachusetts collected 30,128 on October 21, 2006. At first it was believed that Boston did not have an official count, merely a sign in for each pumpkin. But it was later determined that each pumpkin was indeed registered and counted, causing Guinness to confirm the record in a certificate issued to Camp Sunshine, the event beneficiary and organizer of the festival. Camp Sunshine is a national non-profit retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.
The organizers attempt yearly to beat this record by encouraging businesses and individuals to create and donate jack-o'-lanterns which are displayed on many enormous banks of shelves and all available surfaces around the center of town.
The festivities also include fireworks, music, and food, and draw in people from all over New Hampshire and adjoining states.
Almost immediately after the pumpkin festival is over, the jack-o-lanterns are hauled away by volunteer work crews and given to pig farmers.
Over 80,000 people attended this event in 2006 in Keene, which has a population of nearly 23,000. People do not come from just the surrounding states, but all over the country and sometimes all over the world.
The 2006 festival was held on October 21st and boasted over 24,000 lit pumpkins.
The Pumpkin Festival of 2007 was held on Saturday, October 20.
[edit] Controversy
There has been some controversy in the Pumpkin Fest since last year's massing of over 80,000 people in one night, but less than 25,000 pumpkins were brought. Some people think that the festival has lost sight of its original meaning of bringing the local community together during harvest. Instead, many locals think it has become a circus fest while much of the people coming are from out of state. It is common to see many locals dodging the Fest. Indeed it is also quite common to notice that many of these locals are heavily under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs nearly every year at this time, especially those of their traditional, conservative nature. It has apparently irritated many of them because of the massive number of people congregating in the downtown area. Many restaurants become jammed, hotels booked and traffic and, according to some, getting around becomes an absolute nightmare.
However, those who have been to the recently competing "Life Is Good" pumpkin festival in Boston will deduce that in comparison, the Keene festival is not that overly crowded at all. Someone having recently attended both would say that Keene traffic (both vehicular and pedestrian) is really not bad. If you can't deal with the relatively mild congestion at the Keene festival, we would certainly not recommend that you attempt the Boston one.
10 comments:
ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
IS RICK BLENKO
WHY ARE WE ALL BEING QUIET?
I just tried to phone you at the Dental School and they would not let me speak with you.
I lied and said I wanted to refer one of my patients to you.
Sorry!
Tell us what to do with our glass.
We have so much, Hilary, we have bought weekly for 2+ years.
Now the bottom is here.
Help give us a plan.
Sweetdoc
DO NOTHING! Continue to buy the glass that you love, and want to live with.
IF it increase in value, wonderful! If it doesn't you are living with glass you love.
My belief is BLENKO GLASS will continue to be a good investment. When you buy at the Visitors Center you get Great Glass at very Good prices. Let your glass age. When you buy from dealers unless you know the dealer (see the blog post about dealers/ try for a collector who is willing to sell) proceed with caution and your hand on your wallet.
BUY BLENKO Buy Made In US ALWAYS!
Blenko isn't changing its desire to produce quality hand crafted glass.
Don't listen to on line gossip - send your questions and I'll try to get the correct answers.
DON"T PANIC!
Your glass will always bring you joy. Collecting will remain a joyful activity. Join the BCS and lets meet up in August.
HJH
PS DO NOT PHONE WVU FOR ME! OK I can't take call, and it annoys the secretaries.
My 2 cents:
Without Rick
BLENKO IS DEAD
Walter said "Richard is just the face," wake up this what people buy the 'branding' the designer label.
Blenko is Rick Blenko.
Enuff said.
Sweetdoc I won't sell. But I won't buy anything new again.
I will laugh when it shuts down.
I can imagine that Bill Blenko, Jr. is a little sad to see his only living child out of the company. I guess it is a good thing that at least relatives will manage the company.
Regarding festivals in New England, certainly there are interesting ones. One year, I attended the annual kielbasa festival in Chicopee, MA (just a short drive from Keene, NH). Everyone danced the polka around a 200+ pound sausage. Roll out the barrel........
WV Janis
Those of us who have glass signed by Rick Blenko will always have something special. Many first became aware of Blenko thru his PBS shows. Some of us thought they were no longer in business until seeing the shows. A fact I don't believe Walter Blenko is interested in. Something that is quality, like Blenko, and rare, signed by Rick, will always have value. For any art, buy what you love, if it gains in value, consider it pure luck.
Continue to buy the Blenko you love, and enjoy living with it.
Remember it makes great gifts, I always check out the sale section when I can get to the Visitors Center, always some fun pieces.
Car Girl
I HAVE A DOZEN OF THESE AROUND THE CLINIC THE GIRLS GOT THEM OUT LAST NIGHT, BEAUTIFUL IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH WORD FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE BLENKO PUMPKIN. AS A SMALL BUSINESSMAN I AM ALSO SAVING MONEY, THE 'Real McCoy' DOESN'T SURVIVE FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
THIS WAS A GOOD SUGGESTION. WE WILL ADD THE CORN TO THE DECOR THIS YEAR BUT NOTHING ELSE, don't even try Hilary! NO MORE SUGGESTIONS!
Rick deserves to have a private life, I admire you HJH for saying no bad mouthing Blenkos. Staying positive when everything around you is murky may not be always wise.
Thank you.
Car girl
PBS is how I discovered Blenko and I moved to Eastern Panhandle in 99.
This is a part of WV.
Since then I have visited Milton several dozen times. Met RB at least 10 times at signings. Always gracious, handsome and chatty. Blenko would be hard pressed to find a suitable replacement.
I don't know who 'Walter' is but PBS and Richard are tools Blenko Glass should use frequently. Perhaps they can hire him for PR work at a lower salary? What do I know I'm just a crazy Wyoming Lawyer who moved to WV.
Mountain Rita
Ditto on what the others said here.
An Hillary ... love the bit about the NIBYs who want to bitch about tourism to their town even though that tourism helps their local economy. ;-)
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