Celebrate Fall at Great Pumpkin Festival

Fall is in the air this weekend as the Milford Great Pumpkin Festival takes center stage from Friday through Sunday.

The annual event is packed with family-friendly events like arts and crafts, make your own scarecrows, face painting on the Community House Lawn and live music on two stages. Some of the largest pumpkins in New Hampshire are on display through the weekend. And there is a pumpkin catapult for launching the gourds.

There's also a beer and chili tasting festival on Friday night, a talent show on Saturday night and a fireworks show also on Friday night. Don't forget to get your tickets early for the talent show, which typically sells out Tickets on sale now for $8 adults - tickets will be $10 at the show!

Throughout the weekend entertainers will take to two stages on the Oval and the Community House lawn. Take a stroll through the Haunted Trail at Emerson Park, if you dare, and lace up your sneakers for a 5k run/walk starting at Milford High School on Sunday morning.

New this year, put on your best zombie and come and strut your stuff Saturday night from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the zombie walk on the Community House Lawn. Zombies meet for the costume judging contest at 6:30, then zombies walk to the Oval and back to the Community House Lawn for refreshments. Prizes for Best Female Zombie, Best Male Zombie, Best Child Zombie under 16,  Funniest Zombie, Goriest Zombie, and Best Family of Zombies. Registration is $5 for ages 13 and older and free for children younger than 12.

Stop in at businesses on the Oval, browse dozens of vendor booths. If you’re feeling hungry for soup, hot cider, doughnuts, waffles or smoked ribs and more will be available all weekend long. There is no shortage of food!!

Follow the Pumpkin Festival Facebook page for regular updates from Festival organizers.

Full weekend schedule below:

Friday, Oct. 11

• Oval Stage – PB&J Jammin Jazz Band

• Chili RoundUp – Community House Lawn
• Beer, Wine ‘N Spirits Tasting – Community House Lawn

• Emerson Park – Enter the Haunted  Trail if you dare! $5 per person, screams are free

• Oval Stage – B3

• Opening Ceremony – Presentation of Milford’s Citizen of the Year Award by the Historic Society and The Milford Improvement Team Followed by The Pumpkin Runner & Town Hall Lighting! Join festival lovers of all ages in this official kick-off ceremony!

• Oval Stage – The Transistors

• Fireworks Display by Atlas Fireworks and Centrix Bank

Saturday, Oct. 12

10am – 2pm

• Pumpkin Catapult by Dollars for Scholars. Ready…Aim…Fire! Try to hit the floating scarecrow targets in the Railroad Pond! See if you can hit the mark! South Street, TD Bank Parking Lot.

10am – 4pm

• Milford Fire Department Open House and Demos – Learn about fire safety and see the trucks. Educational Programs throughout the day – visit with Sparky. Middle Street.
• Milford Ambulance Service Open House Safety related activities for children of all ages! Middle Street.
• Unitarian Universalist Church of Milford Harvest Pantry. Stock up for the winter with preserves, jams, jellies, breads, apple crisp, apple & pumpkin pies, and homemade peanut butter! Enjoy treats while you shop! Elm Street.
• Emerson Park Activities & Displays- Rock Climbing Wall by Vertical Dreams

10am – 8pm

• Arts & Craft Show in the Town Hall.

10am – 9pm

• On the Oval: Great Pumpkin Contest, Pumpkin Sales, Pie Booth and a great line-up of musical performances

11am

• Oval Stage: The Troubadours
• Community House Stage: Rahel
• Stories From Stone – Join the Milford Historic Society for a walk through the Elm Street Cemetery where local historian Dave Palance will give an interactive, humorous and non-scary tour. Dave has mapped hundreds of Burial Grounds in southern New Hampshire and has assisted in finding lost graves, several over 350 years old. Be prepared to walk on uneven ground and listen as the stones talk of the early days of Milford.  Meet at the Milford Historical Society on Union Street and walk over. $5 suggested donation age 12 & over.

12pm

• On the Oval: Kokko Realty Great Pumpkin Weigh-In. Come see  who really has the region’s biggest and best pumpkins! Cash prizes for Largest and Largest Milford Grown.
• Oval Stage -  The Ukestra with Mike Loce
• Community House Lawn Stage –  Marlena Phillips
• Emerson Park Performance Tent –  The Dance Company

1pm

• Oval Stage – The New Englanders
• Community House Lawn Stage –
• Emerson Park Performance Tent – Lamy’s Martial Arts Studio

2pm

• Community House Lawn Stage –  Suzuki Violin Group
• Elm Street Cemetary: Stories From Stone – Join the Milford  Historic Society for a walk through the Elm Street Cemetery where local historian Dave Palance will give an interactive, humorous and non-scary tour. Dave has mapped hundreds of Burial Grounds in souther New Hampshire and has assisted in finding lost graves, several over 350 years old. Be prepared to walk on uneven ground and listen as the stones talk of the early days of Milford.  Meet at the Milford Historical Society on Union Street and walk over. $5 suggested donation age 12 & over.

2:30pm

• Oval Stage –  The Kid Jazz Band

3pm

• Community House Lawn Stage –  The Temple Dance Band

3:30pm

• Oval Stage –  Studio Two

4:30pm

• Oval Stage –  Ballou Brothers

5:30-6:30 PM 

• Oval – Pumpkin Lighting – Bring your carved pumpkins to the Oval Bandstand to be included in the Pumpkin Lighting!
• Oval Stage –  Russell Hill

6-9pm

• Community House Lawn – ZOMBIE WALK! Zombies should meet at the Community House Lawn to sign up and for costume judging, followed by a Zombie Walk to the Oval, and then back to the CHL for refreshments.
• Emerson Park – Enter the Haunted Trail if you dare!  $5 per person, screams are free!

6:30pm

• Oval Stage –  Duty Free

7 pm

• Oval Bandstand – Pumpkin Lighting! Watch as the bandstand comes to life with hundreds of carved pumpkins!

7:30pm

• Oval Stage – Rich Kumpu & Bobby Allwarden

8pm 

• Milford Pumpkin Festival Talent Show, Amato Center. Advance Tickets $8 Adults, $5 12 and under. Tickets at Door $10 Adults, $5 12 and under. Parking available onsite or take trail from Emerson Park to Amato Center. Sponsored by

Sunday, Oct. 13

• 7:30 am – 11 am  

• Firehouse Breakfast at the Milford Fire Station, $6 suggested donation.

9 am  

• Milford High School – Milford High School 5k Road Race. Race course winds around and through the festival. www.milfordtrackandfield.org.

10am – 2 pm 

• Pumpkin Catapult by Dollars for Scholars. South Street, TD Bank Parking Lot. Ready…Aim…Fire! Try to hit the floating scarecrow targets in the Railroad Pond! See if you can hit the mark!

10 am – 3 pm

• Arts & Craft Show  In the Town Hall
• On the Oval: Great Pumpkin Contest, Pumpkin Sales, Pie Booth and a great line-up of musical performances
• Milford Fire Department Open House and Demos – Learn about fire safety and see the trucks. Educational Programs throughout the day – visit with Sparky.
• Milford Ambulance Service Open House Safety related activities for children of all ages!
• Emerson Park Activities – Rock Climbing Wall by Vertical Dreams.
• Unitarian Universalist Church of Milford Harvest Pantry, Elm Street.

11am

• Kick flips, Callaberials, and pipes! The Spank Alley Skate Team from Concord performs on the street in the Oval!
• Community House Lawn Stage – Tom Carlson

12pm

• Oval Stage – Amy’s Family Jam
• Community House Lawn Stage – Rob Oxford
• Emerson Park Performance Tent – Hoopdance with Gina

1pm

• Oval Stage –  Magic Etc.
• Community House Lawn Stage –  Hanging Scarlett

2pm

• Oval Stage –  The Slakas
• Community House Lawn Stage –  Mouthfeel

• Festival Closes!