Keene Pumpkin Festival
Keene hosted its first Pumpkin Festival in 1991. The results were better than expected, with 600 lit jack-o'-lanterns. In 1992, a World Record was set with 1,628 pumpkins. Seven other World Records would follow. The last World Record was set in 2003 with 28,952 pumpkins. The festival has several activities including a costume parade, trick or treating for children, food vendors, pie eating contest (of course pumpkin), live music and dancing. Most schools in Keene have pumpkin carving days the day before the Pumpkin Festival. There are trucks full of pumpkins delivered from local farms such as Stonewall Farm, to area businesses and schools. The entire community gets involved. Pumpkins are often sent from other communities and from other countries as well.
