30th Annual Battersea Pumpkin Festival

Jemma Dooreleyers | Oct 09, 2024

The Battersea Pumpkin Festival celebrated its 30th anniversary this past  Saturday, marking the occasion by bringing back its old tradition of handing out entry buttons in exchange for the more than reasonable $5 entry fee ($20 per family)

The Festival is more popular than ever, having remained dedicated to the same ideals that it started with; marking the fall harvest season with a community gathering, and providing an opportunity for community groups to raise a bit of money.

Although it was the 30th anniversary, it has actually been 31 years since the festival really began. The year before the first event at the Battersea Ballpark, Sharon and Will Freeman held a fall party at their farm.

The Festival grew quickly in the early years, adding events and expanding its footprint throughout Battersea, and becoming more than the Freeman family could handle on their own, so a committee was formed and while many have come and gone, some of the originals, including the Freemans, are still involved in one capacity or another.

Flash forward to 2024. Despite the long lines and the packed parking lots, the joy of a sunny autumn day, the celebration of the harvest and the wonderful feeling of participating in the community was palpable at the 30th annual Pumpkin Fest in Battersea this past Saturday. 

According to Amanda Pantrey, the current chair of the festival, this was the biggest year yet. By the time the News caught up with her, at 2pm, two hours before the end of the day, Pantrey confirmed that over 3000 people had already shown up to join in on the fun. 

Looking out on the swath of people congregating and enjoying the event she chaired, was “surreal”, she said. “We knew it would be busy, and we’re very happy with where we’re at today, but it’s a bit overwhelming in the moment, to look up and see it worked.”

What worked exactly? Well, word of mouth and the festival’s continued reputation for being a family-friendly event for 30 years. 

“The only paid marketing we did was through Frontenac News and the rest was social media and word of mouth and the fact that we’ve been doing this for so long,” she said. “We have repeat customers who come back year after year and people really look forward to it.” 

“We actually try not to market on social media too much because Battersea is a small village and as you can see the parking situation can only handle so much.” 

By 11am, an hour after the festival began, the parking lot at the festival had reached capacity, cars lined the streets of the entire village of Battersea and the parking lot at Storrington Public School (where the shuttle departed from), was beginning to fill. By the end of the day, cars were overflowing from the Storrington parking lot and lining both sides of the shoulder of Battersea Road.  

Pantrey, a Battersea local since birth, has been helping out with the festival since she learned how to walk. As she grew, her volunteering jobs evolved and ten years ago, when there was a sign posted on the gate of the ballfield the day after Pumpkin Fest saying “Do you want the festival to happen again? Become a volunteer,” she took on a more formal role with the organisation committee. She started as a volunteer coordinator and as the years went on she continued to be part of the committee and was voted in as chair for 2024. 

While her relationship with the festival evolved over time, her favourite part of the festival remains the same - running into people she knows. 

“Growing up, I loved going to the festival because I knew I was going to see my friends from school and it was so exciting to see them in a setting I didn’t normally see them in,” she said. “I still get that joy from seeing people that I know, still coming out.” 

“It’s an honour to be a part of it, it’s community building and memory making, it gives a sense of place for the residents and the community rallies around it. I love it. I think it’s such an important part of building a cohesive society.” 

While the event went well, the need for new volunteers for next year remains pertinent. For more information on the festival and volunteering, visit batterseapumpkinfestival.com.