Former RR Horticultural society helps Pumpkin Festival grow

Ken Johnston

One organization wilted and died officially last week but gave another a huge injection of life.
The Rainy River Horticultural Society (RHS) gave up trying to recruit new members after years of trying. RHS’s last act was to decide who to donate their bank account too. They decided to give the balance, $1,640.35 to the Rainy River Valley Giant Pumpkin Festival.
Organizer Eltjo Wiersema was blown away by the donation saying, “It will really help this year as we have added several new prize categories to attract more entries.”
In addition to the $1,000 and golden hoe for largest pumpkin, $500 for 2nd and $100 for 3rd, five $100 prizes have been added for the pumpkin nearest to 100lbs, 200lbs, 300lbs, 400lbs and 500lbs. “We felt that some folks were not bringing in their entries because they did not feel they were contenders,” said Wiersema last week noting that they used to get well over 100 entries in the early years of the festival. Now in its 12th year the event has been seeing less than 50 entries annually.
The pumpkin festival will again be held in the Rainy River Arena this year and will give out over $2,500 in prizes on Sept. 16, 2006.
Wiersema said there are rumours of some really good pumpkins growing out in the region this year, especially in the Thunder Bay area where two pumpkins 945lbs and 847lbs came from last year.
Wiersema himself said he had a good pumpkin growing but then thinks the neighbour’s dog might have been sent over to kill it with a leg lift or two. He said he has another one about 20lbs. and has been spending nights guarding from intruding dogs protecting it.
Three new board members have started helping the festival. Wiersema said Tom and Penny Shumaker and Richard Short are all helping to keep the family festival a “Big” success.
The event will begin at 10 a.m. with registration and a harvest display. Kids games will begin at 11 and a big potluck lunch will follow at noon.The farmers market and a quilt show will be there as well.
Weigh-ins will take place at 2:30 p.m.