Blazing pumpkins come to Monroe

First 'Great Pumpkin Festival’ to feature 250 lighted pumpkins in community display MONROE — A blaze of orange lights will radiate in the dark sky from the field at Sacred Heart School on Still Road on Friday, Oct. 21, when 250 pumpkins of all shapes, sizes and carving styles will be in lit display for the community to view. The first Monroe “Great Pumpkin Festival,” run by the Monroe Girl Scout Service Unit, will be open to the community to view from 6:30 to 8 p.m. It’s been being modeled after the larger “Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze,” at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson, which features 4,000 carved pumpkins, according to event organizer Gwen Lytle. The free festival will feature pumpkins painted by Daisy Girl Scouts and carved pumpkins created by Brownie, Junior and Cadette level girl scouts. The event has already reached its pumpkin participation capacity. “We had no idea it would be this popular,” said Lytle. “We thought it would be a cool thing to do and obviously the girls think so too.” The event was created as a way to not only celebrate the Halloween season but to launch the new Girl Scout year with a community event to include all levels of scouting. Cadette Girl Scouts will set up the pumpkins in a way to create a special walkway, so viewers can see the lit pumpkins in a display format, according to Lytle. Each carved pumpkin will be lit with a battery operated light. Lytle hoped people in the community would come and stroll the fields to admire the display. “We’re open for the community to see,” she added. “Our Girl Scouts are the ones doing the carving. It’s going to be a lot of fun.” - Nancy Kriz If you go The first Monroe “Great Pumpkin Festival’ Friday, Oct. 21, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the rear field of Sacred Heart School on Still Road in Monroe. 250 carved (with some painted) and lit pumpkins will be arranged in a community display. Admission is free. There will be a bake sale and hot beverages available for purchase. To learn more, e-mail to monroepumpkins@gmail.com.