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Town's Stroll turns festive

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By ERIC HORCHY

The Suncoast News

Published: October 23, 2009

NEW PORT RICHEY - After a successful launch last year, Pumpkin Fest will again add a little autumn feel to downtown New Port Richey's quarterly Shop n' Stroll on Saturday.

Scarecrow, costume and pumpkin-painting contests and a scavenger hunt will highlight daytime festivities.

All were successes last year, and organizers are looking forward to a repeat Saturday, said Greater New Port Richey Main Street Executive Director Judy DeBella Thomas.

"This year it's a full day of activity downtown," DeBella Thomas said. "It's part of the ongoing strolls that the business community runs, and we've just kind of tied into the season now by calling this one Pumpkin Fest."

Shop n' Strolls are an opportunity for visitors to take to the streets once a month to check out downtown shops and markets while being treated to an array of sidewalk vendors.

In the spirit of Saturday's events, The Pumpkin Patch will be open. The patch, which will be operated daily until the end of the month by First United Methodist Church of New Port Richey, will be at Main Street and Grand Boulevard and at the church, 5901 Indiana Ave.

Just outside downtown, at the New Port Richey Recreation and Aquatic Center on Van Buren Street, there will be a Diabetes Awareness Day event in the skate park, with activities set up for children.

Each of the Pumpkin Fest contests includes an opportunity to win prizes.

The scarecrow contest, which costs $5 to enter, will reward first place with a $50 gift certificate to Karen's Gifts, a $25 gift certificate to Pasco Camera and a $20 gift certificate to Makai Kayak. The scarecrows can be designed however desired and attached to lampposts on Grand Boulevard.

Both the pumpkin painting and costume contests will be in Cavalaire Square.

The costume contest is divided into five categories based on age: 3 and younger, 4 through 7, 8 through 12, 13 through 17 and 18 and older. One prize will be given out in each age group. Judging will take place from noon to 1 p.m.
Scavenger hunters will have from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. to pop into participating businesses and find a printed image of a pumpkin hidden by store employees. Seekers will be given a map showing which shops to search. Turning in completed maps will gain entry into a cash-prize drawing.

If entering contests isn't on your Saturday agenda, there will be a hayride, jump castle, face painting, storytelling, dunk tank and other games.

Connecting the day's activities will be the Friendly Kia Trolley, which will run all day long to ease transportation issues.

For information on how to enter any contests - such as reserving a lamppost for a scarecrow - or to set up a vending kiosk, call Greater New Port Richey Main Street at (727) 842-8066.

Reporter Eric Horchy can be reached at (727) 815-1071 or ehorchy@suncoastnews.com.

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