Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Wrestling legends coming to festival

Old-time wrestling fans will be thrilled with the list of professional wrestlers coming to the Great Pumpkin Festival.

According to Karen Richards, who's organizing the event, the Legends of Mid South Wrestling will be setting up a ring in the Prescott Athletic Complex to show how wrestling used to be done before the days of WWF.

Richards said the card will include women wrestlers, midgets and names from the past, including Gen. Skandor Akbar and Dr. Death Steve Williams, former Oklahoma Sooner gridiron star. The Ugandan giant is also scheduled to be on the card.

The wrestlers, Richards said, will be mingling with the crowd at the festival throughout the day, and will have memorabilia for sale to the public.

A new organization in Prescott, CHICS (Citizens Helping Improve Community Standing) is working to make the city a better place to live, and is hosting the first Great Pumpkin Festival Saturday, Oct. 26 in downtown Prescott.

Richards said it began as a home decorating idea that got out of control.

The original concept was to have residents decorate the exterior of their homes using pumpkins and a fall harvest/Halloween theme.

"We're trying to promote businesses locally," Richards said, "bring people in and increase business downtown.

"We're trying to get civic groups, social clubs and churches, along with businesses and industry, to put booths up and make money for their organizations. I've been here two-and-a-half years and seen businesses close."

The festival will be pumpkin oriented, with several pumpkin-related contests and games  including the best decorated homes in the city and county.

Richards said there will be a lot of "old fashioned" games for everyone, all reasonably priced.

In addition, there will be two tournaments: one a USSSA State Qualifying Baseball Tournament; and the other a golf tourney at the Prescott Country Club. The golf tourney is a three-man scramble.

Garden Getaway, a local bed and breakfast inn owned by Penny Richards, will be having a pumpkin pancake breakfast at the Whistlin' Gopher from 7-9 a.m. The breakfast will include pumpkin pancakes, coffee, sausage and bacon.

Local artisans and crafters are encouraged to rent booth space (a 10 by 10 booth goes for $20) to sell their wares.

A photographer will also be on hand to take photos of those wanting to capture their day at the festival. The photos will be shot on 35 mm film and sent to those who purchase prints.

Some of the other events planned include a pumpkin carving/pumpkin decorating contest, a scarecrow contest, a chili cook-off, a pumpkin cooking contest, a Halloween costume contest and a Lil' punkin' baby picture contest.

An old-fashioned hayride will also be held, with the wagon circling the city with its cargo.

From 5-6:30 p.m., the Herman Brown Band will perform downtown.

All events are family oriented, as this is CHICS's goal for the festival.

Now, for a few rules.

In the house decorating contest there will be two divisions, one for the city and one for the county. An entry form must be filled out and turned in. It must include directions to the house in question. Entry forms can be picked up at Prescott Flowers.

Decorations may be Halloween or a traditional fall theme, but pumpkins must be part of the display.

Judges will be brought in from out of town Friday, Oct. 25, with the winners announced at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 26, along with the day's other winners.

First place winners will receive a plaque.

Businesses are required to follow the same rules as home decorating, except for being required to furnish directions.

This contest is open to all businesses and offices in Prescott, with the winner getting what will become a traveling trophy.

The scarecrow contest rules are a bit different. First, the scarecrow must be made and brought to the festival.

There are no age divisions, and the scarecrows can either be made standing or sitting. Contestants are required to provide their own materials to make the scarecrows, along with any props required.

Any style will be permitted, with the exception of any deemed vulgar or lewd.

Finished scarecrows must be delivered to a CHICS worker by 10 a.m. Oct. 26 for judging. CHICS workers will be stationed at each end of Elm Street, and will log in all entries as they are brought in.

Judges will be from out of town, with winners getting at trophy. Those finishing second and third will be presented ribbons.

There will be three age divisions for the pumpkin carving contest, and any size pumpkin is acceptable.

The contestants must furnish their own pumpkins, decorate them at home then bring them to the festival.

The age divisions are: 7-11, 12-17 and 18 and up.

Winners will be announced at the end of the day, with the top three in each division being awarded ribbons.

The same rules, with the exceptions of the gourd being carved and no age divisions, apply for the pumpkin decorating contest.

Pumpkins may be decorated with paints, pens or markers, and other fruits and vegetables may be used in conjunction with them, along with other craft items being allowed. The idea is to be creative.

Decorated pumpkins must be delivered to CHICS workers by 10 a.m. Oct. 26.

The top decorated gourds will receive ribbons, and be on display at Pumpkin Alley all day.

Richards said CHICS's goal is to raise enough money from this festival to begin offering scholarships to deserving students.

For more information, call Richards at 887-1539.