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Re: Great Pumpkin Grow Off



Hi Gus,
Thanks for getting back to me.
What we've been doing for the last three years is this.
In April we advertise in the local paper and a local radio station... 

"Come on in to Art Knapp Plantland (My nursery/garden center) and register
for the Great Pumpkin Grow Off. Thousands of dollaes in prizes to be won.
Grand prize is a new Toyota pickup truck courtesy of Jim Pattison Toyota
for the 
largest pumpkin over 800 Lbs. In the event that a  800 pounder  is not
entered 
the grand prize is a trip for two to Disney Land. A $2.00 registration fee
is charged.
 all money goes to JR FM New Country Radio Basics For Babies Food Bank.
Weigh Off  will be at the Great Pumpkin Grow Off and Halloween Party on
Oct. 25."

In the past years we purchased  Dill's Atlantic Giant seeds from a seed
wholesaler
but this year we recieved donated seeds from members of this group. This
will
really help to save money and just maybe we can get a 800 pounder this
year.
We can always use more seeds.
 
We scrounge all kinds of prizes from local businesses and my suppliers.
Every regestered pumpkin entered on weigh-off day wins a prize no matter
how 
small it is. This takes a lot of scrounging. In '96 we had 500 (+ -)
registered and
about 50% showed up for weigh-off day. No 800 pounder yet.

At The Great Pumpkin Grow-Off And Halloween Party ( a fund raiser for the 
local food bank )we have the sponser radio station on location and lots of
free entertainment like live musical acts,clowns, jugglers, face painting
for kids, 
and a pumpkin pie eating contest.

The main reason for the event is to raise money for the Surrey Food Bank.
In '96 this event really took off. We raised $16,000 for the food bank.
In order to raise money we do charge for some of the entertainment and 
the food.

Last year the  local college sent a crew down with donated materials and
built
a 7500 sq. ft. haunted house. It remains on location for this year. It was
a 
huge success. We charged $2.00 to go through the haunted house and grave
yard wich is manned by actors from a local theater group. The only problem
we had with the haunted house was the long line up.

We also had a hay ride to the pumpkin patch where for $2.00 you got a 20
min. 
ride and a pumpkin. Again the long line up was a problem. We started with a

team of horses but they could not keep up. By the end of the day we had the
horses, two tracters, and a Chevy Blazer pulling hay wagens. This year we
will 
be better prepared.

We have local businesses and organizations set up booths and games. The 
games also raise money for the food bank. These games were popular too.

Kids are asked to show up in costume. All kids in costume get a suprise
from
Dairy Queen. Lots of kids came in costume.

The day of fun ends with a fireworks display donated by a local fireworks
supplier.

This year  I want to make a haunted castle out of  an old semi trailer. I
think the
college will help again. This could be fun.

I would really love any good suggestions that you might have to make our
event
even better.

Thanks for taking an interest.
Kerry.
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