Carleton Place prepares for full weekend of fall celebrations at Pumpkinfest
Carleton Place is ushering in the spooky season this weekend with its annual Pumpkinfest, a three-day event that combines seasonal autumnal fun with community pride.
Running from Oct. 3 to 5, the festival will spread across the downtown core to Market Square Pavilion and Carleton Junction, offering a mix of entertainment, markets, and family-friendly activities. In a release, the Town of Carleton Place shared that the event has grown into one of the community’s most anticipated traditions, drawing in visitors from across Lanark County and beyond.
The weekend’s festivities will kick off on Friday evening with the return of free hot air balloon rides alongside live music, buskers, a sidewalk sale and vendor market and an outdoor screening of The Goonies at Market Square at 7:00pm.
On Saturday, families are going to want to stop by Carleton Junction where their little ones can take part in a fun zone with inflatables, a petting zoo and mini putt with the Carleton Place Fire Department. At the same time, the Royal LePage Fall Harvest 5km Fundraiser Run for Lanark County will raise funds for the Lanark County Interval House. In the downtown core, activities will include a farmers’ market, live carving demonstrations, photography walks and trick-or-treating at local shops.
In addition to the free hop-on hop-off double decker bus taking riders throughout the downtown core, a free shuttle service will operate on Saturday between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m, making the festival more accessible for visitors. According to organizers, the route will connect the parking lot at Rona with drop-offs near Joe Mamma Cycles.
Sunday’s programming features another full day of activities at Carleton Junction with wildlife shows, magic acts and children’s activities,. Meanwhile, Market Square will host a luxury car show and artisan market.
For local hockey fans, visitors can play Pumpkin Hockey with the Carleton Place Canadians Jr. A team on Saturday afternoon or watch them face off on the ice against the the Hawkesbury Hawkes on Sunday at 3:00 p.m at the Carleton Place Arena.
With too many activities and events scheduled over the jam-packed festival to mention here, we recommend you visit the Carleton Place website for a detailed breakdown of the weekend’s itinerary.