A participant prepares to launch a pumpkin off the Esplanade terrace during a previous year's Great Pumpkin Smash. This year's event is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. with 500 pumpkins ready to toss.--FILE PHOTO
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Residents of all ages are invited to the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre on Saturday for some frightful festivities with the Great Pumpkin Smash.
Costumes are encouraged at this free Halloween event on Oct.26 from 1-3:30 p.m., where guests will be invited up onto the terrace to slide pumpkins down to smash into the drop zone below.
While they make their way to the front of the line, attendees will keep warm with complimentary hot chocolate and enjoy sweet treats and a view that can’t be beat.
Five-hundred pumpkins will be available for the smashing for free while supplies last, but guests are welcome to bring their own small or medium-sized pumpkins from home, as well. These brought pumpkins must not have any additions like paint, glitter, pins or any glued-on craft material. Pumpkins must be released from the designated drop area, under supervision of program facilitators.
The pumpkins at this event are locally sourced, organizers say. Many would otherwise be unharvested for market or come from a failed crop, impacted by frost, and none of the pumpkins smashed at this event will be painted, allowing them to then be used for livestock feed.
After visitors have successfully let go of their creations, there is a variety of activities available, such as cookie decorating, glitter tattoos and face painting, a lesson on DÃa de Muertos through hands on art activities, live music and trick-or-treating with Saamis Immigration youth group.
There is a ticketed performance by Norman Foote at 3 p.m, but this facet is pay what you will.
Those interested are encouraged to stay tuned to Esplanade social media, as “the pumpkins may still have a little growing to do and so too may our event.”
