During the weekend of September 17, Northwest Ohio Railroad preservation hosted the yearly Pumpkin Fest. The Pumpkin Fest includes many families coming out for pumpkin hunting, horse rides, and many fun games and activities, such as bounce houses.

The Pumpkin Fest is a yearly tradition for Mr. Jim Gabriel, Vice President of Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation, and his group that helps organize it. The festival goes on every Saturday and Sunday from September 17 until Halloween is over, with many fun festivities offered at the festival.

“We started holding Pumpkin Fest as a kick off event for our autumn activities at the museum. This year was our 6th Pumpkin Fest celebration. Each year, we try to grow Pumpkin Fest with additional activities,” Gabriel, says.

As Pumpkin Fest continues to occur, some may be wondering; what can my kids do for fun?

“At this year’s Pumpkin Fest, we had train rides, a bounce house, a tall inflated slide, and an inflated axe throwing game. We also had both an arrow maze and a math maze, as well as numerous games, and our giant sand pile.” Gabriel exclaims.

With the amount of activities provided at the festival, there is something for everyone, especially the kids.

“All of these activities could be enjoyed from noon to 5:00 PM. There were also several food vendors. Face painting, and a character photo booth available for additional cost. When riding the trains, we made a stop at the pumpkin patch where you could purchase a pumpkin and load it on the train to continue your ride.” V.P, explains.

Finally, the pumpkins for the festival are locally sourced. Instead of purchasing pumpkins from a major chain, consider purchasing from local farmers through this event.

“All of our pumpkins are supplied by Wolfe’s Produce on State Rt 37. When you attend one of our events and purchase one of our pumpkins, you are supporting the non-profit, all volunteer efforts, of our museum and helping us continue to expand our programs and exhibits.” Jim Gabriel says.