17th-annual Romulus Pumpkin Festival under way Sept. 19-21

The city’s largest family celebration, the Romulus DDA Pumpkin Festival, is set for Sept. 19-21 in downtown Romulus.
The 17th-annual festival is expected to draw thousands of participants from Romulus and Southeast Michigan.
Some of the highlights are the Parade of Lights on Friday night, a car show on Saturday, a tractor and lawn tractor show on Sunday, great food, children’s games and a host of contests. There will be pumpkin-themed events and a lineup of live musical entertainment all weekend long. Many of the activities are provided at no cost.
The festival places emphasis on the city’s history. Many of the events will take place in and around Romulus Historical Park and the Downtown Pavilion on Hunt Street. There will be a number of old-fashioned events for families and the city museum and other historical structures will be open for tours.
Hunt Street will be closed from Goddard to Bibbins over the three-day weekend.
The Downtown Development Authority began funding and organizing the festival three years ago. DDA Director Maria Lambert said that since the festival has something for everyone, it will bring the community together in celebration.
Parade of Lights
The official kickoff to the three-day festival, the Parade of Lights begins at the Romulus High School rear parking lot, located at 9650 Wayne Road and travels southwest past crowds of spectators on Tobine Road, Shook Road and Goddard Road, ending at Progressive Hall. There will be dozens of parade entries – each covered in lights.
The Romulus Rotary Club, which coordinates the parade, encourages even more participation and is offering $100 cash prizes for the best entries in six categories. To join the parade, visit www.RomulusRotary.net, print and complete the free application and return it as directed.
Entries will begin assembling at 6:30 p.m. in the parking lot at the High School. The parade is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. Residents and visitors should note that this is a new parade route from previous years in order to avoid construction on Goddard Road.
Entertainment
The Pumpkin Festival Committee has signed some well-known acts to provide free entertainment during the Pumpkin Festival and will have a new stage to accommodate them.
Performing Sept. 19, leading into the Parade of Lights, will be the classic band Hines Drive at 6 p.m. Your Generation in Concert, featuring Fifty Amp Fuse, is the main event from 8 to 11 p.m. Live entertainment will be presented in the “Pumpkin Pub” starting at 11 p.m.
The Sports Talk 60 show will entertain starting at 11 a.m. Sept. 20. A Tae Kwon Do demonstration will be presented at noon. Music begins at 1:30 p.m. with Warren Commission (Jazz), followed by 7th Alley (Classic Rock) and Mainstreet Soul (funk, soul and rock) at 8:30 p.m. Live entertainment will be presented in the “Pumpkin Pub” starting at 10:30 p.m.
Music begins Sept. 21 at 12:30 p.m. with a local youth band, followed by Step-in-Line line dancing demonstrations at 1:30 p.m. and Nemesis (1970 to current music) at 2 p.m. and closing out the free music weekend will be more local talent at 5:15 p.m.
Shows
Classic car owners are invited to participate in the Cruisin’ 2014 Car Show during the Pumpkin Festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, on Goddard Road near Hunt Street. Admission is $10 per car. The first 125 cars to register between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. will receive dash plaques. Prizes will be awarded at 3 p.m. To register or obtain more information, call (734) 941-1727.
The seventh-annual Pumpkin Festival tractor and lawn tractor show is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21, at the Downtown Pavilion in Romulus Historical Park. This annual event features free registration and admission. The first 50 entries receive dash plaques. Advance registration is appreciated by organizers, who can be reached at (734) 941-3238 or (734) 417-7759. Registration also will take place the day of the show until 10 a.m.
Fun and Games
The annual bingo benefit to raise funds for the Romulus Animal Shelter is set for 6-11 p.m. on Sept. 19, 2-11 p.m. Sept. 20 and 1-7 p.m. Sept. 21 at the Romulus Senior Center, 36525 Bibbins. To volunteer or donate snacks to sell during bingo, call the Senior Center at (734) 955-4140, Councilman Bill Wadsworth at (734) 941-0616, or Joe Ozog at (734) 941-3466.
On Sept. 20, there also will be a free pumpkin-rolling contest at noon, sack races at 12:30 p.m., sand darts at 1 p.m., a treasure hunt at 1:30 p.m. and the fifth-annual “Punkin’ Chuckin’” contest at 3 p.m. On Sept. 21, there will be giant airplane races at noon, marshmallow races at 12:30 p.m., crazy shoe croquet at 1 p.m. and a pumpkin pie eating contest at 1:30 p.m.
Throughout the weekend, there will be a rock-climbing wall, a bucking bronco, and inflatable attractions.
Contests
Residents can enter four contests during this year’s Pumpkin Festival that involve food or growing plants. The contests will award ribbons for canning homemade foods (tomatoes, green beans, pickles and fruit), pie baking (pumpkin, sweet potato, peach and apple), pumpkin growing (largest pumpkin wins) and sunflower growing (“largest face” and “tallest”). Items must be submitted by 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19 to the Romulus Senior Center, 36525 Bibbins. Pies must have a cellophane-type cover. Winners will be announced at 12:30 p.m. Sept. 21 at the hospitality tent.
The fourth-annual DDA Cutest Baby Contest is accepting entries in the form of baby photos, which will be on display in the hospitality tent throughout the festival. Visitors can vote for the baby of their choice. Votes are $1 each. The top two vote-getters among boys and girls will be declared the winners at 5 p.m. Sept. 21. Gift cards will be awarded to the winners and certificates will be presented to all participants. The contest is free to enter and open to children who are no older than 2 as of Sept. 19, 2014. Photos (either color or black and white) can be no smaller than 5 by 7 inches or larger than 8 by 10 inches. The child’s name and contact information must be on the back of the photo. To enter the contest, drop off or mail the photo to: Cutest Baby Contest, Romulus DDA Pumpkin Festival, City of Romulus, 11111 Wayne Road, Romulus, MI 48174. For more information, call (734) 955-4531.
Food and drinks
The members of Boy Scout Troop 872 will serve their annual all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon Sept. 20 and 8 a.m. to noon Sept. 21 at Historical Park. Breakfast also includes sausage, coffee and juice. Admission is $5; $3.50 for seniors. Children 4 and under are served free with an adult purchase. Half of the proceeds will be donated to the Animal Shelter. The other half will be used to ensure Scouting programs remain available to the boys of Romulus.
Spaghetti dinners will be served from 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 20 at Community United Methodist Church at Olive and Bibbins streets.
The Pumpkin Pub will be open throughout the weekend. A beer-tasting event will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Sept. 21 onsite at the Pumpkin Pub. Admission is $10 per person with proceeds benefiting the Romulus Arts Council. Space is limited and early arrival is suggested.
Museum, Kingsley & Freight House
The Romulus Historical Society and Historical Commission have invited everyone to visit the historical museum, Kingsley House and Freight House which are open for tours from noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 20-21. Children’s old-fashion lawn games and a checker contest will begin at 11 a.m. both days and various fun and historical events are scheduled for noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.
White Elephant Sale
Several Pumpkin Festival-related events are held off-site, including a white elephant garage sale set for 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 20 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 21 at St. Aloysius Catholic Church at Neville Street and Ozga Road.
Ecumenical services
The Romulus Ministerial Alliance will present ecumenical services at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 22, on the stage at Romulus Historical Park.