Pumpkin Show Wrap-Up
Well, I saw the "World's Largest Pumpkin Pie" yesterday, and it was impressive, although not as big as one might think. I was expected something as big as a house, you know? It takes 66 pounds of pumpkin and 44 pounds of sugar to create to make this thing, which sat in the front window of Lindsey's Bakery in Circleville.
The whole town is literally consumed by this festival. All of downtown is closed off, and one can see thousands of people wandering about in search of pumpkin related merchandise. There is pie, pie in a cup, cheescake, rolls, ice cream, brownies, tarts, crepes, seeds...even chili, all fashioned from the pumpkin. There are adults dressed with pumpkins on, children dressed as pumpkins, and many a baby in a stroller with a pumpkin hat on their head. There is even a "Cirlceville Pumpkin Man" who wore roller blades and traversed the crowd spreading what I suppose was intended to be good cheer. This was more likely to frighten little children, who, upon the approach of a face-painted, green and orange clad, man rolling towards them, were as like to hide behind a parents leg as they were to come forward in greeting. The art show features a lot of- you guesseed it- pumpkin signage, little girls posing prettily with pumpkins, farmers working their land (no doubt in search of the elusive largest pumpkin), and many, many pumpkins in repose along with cornucopias, flowers, and bits of Americana.
The heart of the festival, right on the corner of Main Street, is the pumpkin patch, where there were giant pumpkins aplently. This year's winner, a 1353 pound effort by Circleville's own Dr. Robert Liggett, who won $2000 for his entry, was colossal. All of the top finishers were there, and as I gazed over this field awash with gigantic pumpkins, I could not think how cool it would be if David Letterman were there to drop these things off of buildings or crush them bulldozers. I bet 1353 pound pumpkin would create quite a blast radius if dropped from a significant height, don't you? On a more serious note...the idea of, say, Osama bin Laden leaning out of his cave only to be crushed by this giant symbol of Middle America is delightful to me.
Actually the whole time I was there it felt quintessentially American experience. More specifically, the Midwest. The earnest looks of those offering their wares for sale. The kindess of folks helping the elderely get around, the smiles we all share at children at play. The cross-section of people wandering through, looking at all the sights and sounds. All the different types of food there were. Including the pumpkin-show-traditional Chinese, Filipino, and Bourbon chicken booth (offering free samples!) Although I obviously did not fit in there in many ways, I felt that Midwest hospitality from everyone. I think this represents to me, all that is good about America, and I felt proud to be an American.
The show has ended for the year now, and the pumpkins no doubt have moved on. All of you who wish to enter the contest next year can check out www.bigpumpkins.com, which although it sounds like one, is not a pornography site. As Circleville's Ken Speakman, the second place finisher, said, "There is no excitement quite like the pumpkin show."
The whole town is literally consumed by this festival. All of downtown is closed off, and one can see thousands of people wandering about in search of pumpkin related merchandise. There is pie, pie in a cup, cheescake, rolls, ice cream, brownies, tarts, crepes, seeds...even chili, all fashioned from the pumpkin. There are adults dressed with pumpkins on, children dressed as pumpkins, and many a baby in a stroller with a pumpkin hat on their head. There is even a "Cirlceville Pumpkin Man" who wore roller blades and traversed the crowd spreading what I suppose was intended to be good cheer. This was more likely to frighten little children, who, upon the approach of a face-painted, green and orange clad, man rolling towards them, were as like to hide behind a parents leg as they were to come forward in greeting. The art show features a lot of- you guesseed it- pumpkin signage, little girls posing prettily with pumpkins, farmers working their land (no doubt in search of the elusive largest pumpkin), and many, many pumpkins in repose along with cornucopias, flowers, and bits of Americana.
The heart of the festival, right on the corner of Main Street, is the pumpkin patch, where there were giant pumpkins aplently. This year's winner, a 1353 pound effort by Circleville's own Dr. Robert Liggett, who won $2000 for his entry, was colossal. All of the top finishers were there, and as I gazed over this field awash with gigantic pumpkins, I could not think how cool it would be if David Letterman were there to drop these things off of buildings or crush them bulldozers. I bet 1353 pound pumpkin would create quite a blast radius if dropped from a significant height, don't you? On a more serious note...the idea of, say, Osama bin Laden leaning out of his cave only to be crushed by this giant symbol of Middle America is delightful to me.
Actually the whole time I was there it felt quintessentially American experience. More specifically, the Midwest. The earnest looks of those offering their wares for sale. The kindess of folks helping the elderely get around, the smiles we all share at children at play. The cross-section of people wandering through, looking at all the sights and sounds. All the different types of food there were. Including the pumpkin-show-traditional Chinese, Filipino, and Bourbon chicken booth (offering free samples!) Although I obviously did not fit in there in many ways, I felt that Midwest hospitality from everyone. I think this represents to me, all that is good about America, and I felt proud to be an American.
The show has ended for the year now, and the pumpkins no doubt have moved on. All of you who wish to enter the contest next year can check out www.bigpumpkins.com, which although it sounds like one, is not a pornography site. As Circleville's Ken Speakman, the second place finisher, said, "There is no excitement quite like the pumpkin show."
posted by Scott L. Stuart at
2:40 PM
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