FARMINGTON — The third annual Farmington Pumpkin Festival promises to be even bigger this year.

The festival, held on historic Front Street, will offer a variety of activities from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4.

“This is a great family event with a lot of new shows,” Tammy Parsons of Divine Inspirations said. “There’s so much for families to do.”

Parsons and John Moore of Narrow Gauge Cinema spearheaded the now-annual event, which includes businesses all along Front Street.

“The festival is evolving,” Parsons said. “We started with some events, but we have added to it. People have responded and come out to enjoy it, so we added to what’s already been done.”

This year, several shows are scheduled in the lineup to create an even more family-friendly event, Moore said.

Maine’s own children’s singer/songwriter Rick Charette will perform at 2:30 p.m.

A couple of new entertainers who performed at Faneuil Hall in Boston all summer are coming, he said. They are fairly accomplished performers who had to try out for the spot there, he added.

After seeing the street theater performance of the Red Trouser Show and Cate the Great, Moore invited the performers to come for the festival. They will give three shows each in the Depot parking lot: Cate at 11 a.m., 12:30 and 3:15 p.m.; and Red Trousers at 11:30 a.m., 1 and 4 p.m.

The Red Trouser Show includes acrobatics and high humor, while Cate the Great adds a new and different twist to her juggling, hand balancing, dance and acrobatic routine, according to the festival website, www.farmingtonpumpkinfestival.net.

Cate the Great said she has been doing circus acts for more than 15 years and has performed in 11 countries, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Dubai. Between gigs, she appears at Faneuil Hall, she said in an email.

But there is much more, Parsons said.

The Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers show “Everybody Loves Pirates” will appear at Divine Inspirations at 12:30 p.m.

Maine magician Conjuring Carroll will appear along Front Street from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Dana Perkins Ventriloquist show begins at 2 p.m., the Franklin County Fiddlers perform at 3:45 p.m. and a Fiddle Jam is planned from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on the Stone Hearth Cafe patio.

The Farmer’s Union will offer a giant hay maze from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Union Rental. There are plenty of activities for children, including sheepdog demonstrations, a kids’ coloring contest offered by the Western Maine Play Museum, a scavenger hunt, scarecrow decorating and games.

The Farmington Farmers Market will move to Front Street for the day.

Like the previous festivals, a pass entitles entrance to the Rick Charette show, the scavenger hunt, caramel-apple decorating and a free movie. The movie choice is “The Boxtrolls,” “Dolphin Tale 2” or “Guardians of the Galaxy” on either Saturday or Sunday, Moore said. The pass also provides the entrant with free s’mores and a free raffle ticket for several gift certificates and movie tickets.

There is no financial help provided by tax dollars, Moore said. Volunteers help prepare and clean up afterwards, he said.

The pass supports the festival, Parsons said. 

A ticket to see Charette perform at other shows costs more than $5, and a candy apple costs $5 at the fair, Moore added. The pass helps provide for the other shows and activities.

The passes are available Saturday at the information booth at Western Mountain Financial Services parking lot, she said. A presale of passes is usually available at Divine Inspirations and Narrow Gauge Cinema.

More information about the day’s activities and sales can be found on the festival website.

abryant@sunjournal.com

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