Annual pumpkin festival returns to Richmond

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKf4TRLVxNo

Maya Earls
Spectrum Editor

Celebrating the fall season, the Scott’s Addition Pumpkin Festival returned for the second year Saturday Oct. 25, bringing savory pumpkin foods, cool beers and interactive kid’s activities.

Beginning at noon on Boulevard, the festival featured many local food vendors, such as Buz and Ned’s Real Barbecue, Fat Dragon Chinese Kitchen and Nacho Mama’s. Hardywood Brewery, Strangeways Brewing and Ardent Craft Ales had pumpkin-themed brews on tap. Local bands performed, such as Everwilde, Billy Joe Trio and Triad. The festival also had a large children’s area sponsored by Movin’ Mania which had a rock wall, carnival rides and costumed characters.

Brooks Stone, festival organizer and member of the Scott’s Addition Boulevard Association, said the largest edition to this year’s festival was “Movie Night” taking place at the Redskin’s training camp. At 6 p.m. the doors opened for a showing of the short film, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” followed by a showing of “Monsters, Inc.”

“It’s a family-friendly movie night, with also free admission,” Stone said. “You bring your blankets and fold-up chairs, and we provide everything else.”

Tunstall Willis of Movin’ Mania said the movie night featured a 26-foot screen and healthy snacks, such as popcorn and water to promote the Bon Secours healthy initiative.

Local resident, Clinton Spell, attended the festival for the first time this year. He said he tried pumpkin crab cake sliders by Moore St. Café and the pumpkin flavored beer by Ardent Craft Ales.

“Their crab cakes were awesome … and the Ardent Pumpkin beer was really, really good,” Spell said.

Even though he is not a big fan of the fall season, Spell said he enjoys pumpkin-flavored foods. Spell said he appreciated how the festival offered an area for parents with children, and how the location did not impede Broad street traffic.

“It’s been a really good event,” Spell said. “For my first one, it’s been really awesome so far. I would totally come back.”

The festival offered a VIP area, where for $30, patrons could enjoy two tickets for beer and wine, complimentary lunch provided by Iron Horse and dessert by Red Eye Cookie Company. The lunch featured roasted pork barbeque on a pumpkin yeast roll, cranberry apple coleslaw with pumpkin seeds and candied bacon baked beans. Taking a break from the business of the festival, Willis said she was able to get a quick bite of the lunch.

“The VIP section was fabulous, and the barbeque was absolutely delicious,” Willis said.

Stone said the festival was created to bring awareness to the Scott’s Addition neighborhood and the growing revitalization, as well as highlight local businesses, restaurants and breweries. Proceeds from this year’s festival will go toward Movin’ Mania and the Scott’s Addition neighborhood association to help fund future revitalization projects.

By 4 p.m., Stone and Willis said they felt the festival was a success.

“The Movin’ Mania kids zone has been wild, which is awesome,” Stone said. “I think everyone has been enjoying themselves, adults and kids alike.”