The greatest free show on earth
By Josh Fitzwater |
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Ah, October. The month that brings us Columbus-folk the crisp air of an autumn afternoon, puts us knee-deep into Buckeye football season, signifies the end of Bell's Oberon and the beginning of Bell's Octoberfest for us beer-lovers, could possibly be the month that the Browns finally name a starting quarterback, and oh yeah - it's the month where Ohio plays host to the Greatest Free Show On Earth. It may sound a bit outlandish, but the Circleville Pumpkin Show has in fact been deemed the "Greatest Free Show On Earth."
The full-on fall pumpkin extravaganza is a celebration of everything that is orange, round, and full of seeds. Drawing upwards of 400,000 people throughout the four-day event makes this festival the sixth largest party in the United States and the fact that it's free, well that's just the icing on your pumpkin cake.
The year that brought us the birth of Bob Hope, John Dillinger, and the Ford Model A automobile, also gave us the first Pumpkin Show. In 1903, Circleville, Ohio, was a town divided. The city-dwellers stayed planted in their turn-of-the-century metropolis and the farmers, other than at tax time, stayed out in the sprawling, undeveloped countryside. Ahead of his time, Mayor George Haswell planted the seeds for an event that could bring all the people of Circleville together.
"The Circleville Pumpkin Show really started as an opportunity for the people who lived in town to share their produce and commemorate the fall," said Pumpkin Show Public Relations Committee Chair Nanisa Osborn. "It's a reason for not only the people of Circleville, but anyone, to get together and enjoy the fruits of the fall in a big way."
Enjoying the fruits of the fall in a big way is exactly what they do.
The highlight of the fest has always been the coronation of a monstrous pumpkin with a 1st prize ribbon. With the Pumpkin Show only a few weeks away, rumors and reports are literally coming in off the fields, tales of pumpkins already tipping the scales at over 1,400 pounds - which is record setting for the festival.
Obviously, the Circleville Pumpkin Show is best for diehard pumpkin partiers. With a menu that ranges from pumpkin sloppy joes to pumpkin doughnuts, pumpkin beer, and a 400-pound pumpkin pie - the show is definitely not in jeopardy of being sued for false advertising - it is all about the noble pumpkin.
However, there's much more to do than simply over-indulging in all the gourdeliciousness. Rides, concerts, talent shows, parades, beauty pageants, and good old-fashioned people-watching can take the place of your big orange friend when you have reached your pumpkin peak.
Osborn says, "We are all so proud to have this festival as our tradition. I think we all feel that the Pumpkin Show really summarizes what our community is about. We are an agricultural community and we love it."
Over 100 years have passed since the inaugural Pumpkin Show, and the festival that began as a means to bring the community together has grown into a major gala that increases Circleville's population by more than 33 times.
Still not convinced that the Circleville Pumpkin Show is a big deal? The festival even has its very own theme song! The song, imaginatively titled "The Pumpkin Show," has been sung and performed at the opening ceremony since 1977.
Circleville is only about 25 miles away from Columbus, so there is no excuse to miss out on one of the country's biggest and most historic festivals. The fact that the Pumpkin Show is free leaves you some cash-money for a healthy dose of pumpkin beer and a pumpkin sloppy joe.
Come get your fall-fruits fix at the 2009 Circleville Pumpkin Show, October 21st through the 24th. The pumpkin party kicks off at 9 a.m. with the legendary pumpkin weigh-in. For more information visit the event's website at www.pumpkinshow.com
Originally Published: October 1, 2009
