By Sean P. Ray | Managing Editor
With a history dating back to 1991, spanning 30 different iterations across the decades since its inception, Pumpkinfest has become a reliable and loved part of many Northsiders’ October. And while the 31st Pumpkinfest, taking place on Oct. 11, may look similar to versions of the festival from past years, behind the scenes it represents a major change in its history.
Since its inception as Deutschtown Pumpkinfest, the annual event has been overseen by Barbara Burns, who co-founded the festival alongside Carole Annis, the latter having run a sister event called Brightwood Pumpkinfest. However, last year, Burns stepped down from her role as lead organizer for the event.
“I’ve been saying for three years I’m retiring,” Burns told The Chronicle at the time. “Now they’re finally starting to catch on.”
But rather than hand off the proverbial keys to Pumpkinfest to any one person, she’s passed them down to a group of organizations, forming a core partnership to ensure Pumpkinfest can be enjoyed for generations to come.
“What we’re trying to do is create longevity for the event,” Burns said. “It shouldn’t be dependent upon one person.”
Check out the October issue of The Northside Chronicle for the full story.
