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Hospital CEO Paul Hammes came prepared for his turn in the dunking booth at the annual Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival.
Courtesy photo
ELKIN — A skeleton crew held the Great Pumpkin Weigh-off in 2020 as the main portion of the Pumpkin Festival was cancelled but this year’s event came back strong. More than 90 vendors selling food, t-shirts, handmade crafts, and more lined Main Street as well as Farmers Market vendors on Standard Street. The streets were packed with folks coming to enjoy the festivities, greeted by lovely fall temperatures, particularly during the morning.
“This was the best crowd we have seen in years,” said Misty Matthews with the Yadkin Valley Chamber of Commerce. “We feel with a few changes like the added Kid Zone that HDK Ranch put together and some food vendors on Standard St., Dunk Tank and Axe Throwing, Greg Hall and his Llama, jugglers on Main St. it add some extra life to the event. With other festivals cancelling people were ready to get out spend some time and money.”
Matthews said vendors at the festival reported they were “very pleased with the crowds and the products and services that sold in a one day event.”
This year’s new Dunk Tank really made a splash with festival-goers.
“Our Dunk Tank was a hit. With Emily Rycroft Elkin Elementary School Principal, Paul Hammes CEO HCMH, Pam Colbert Global Studies and Virtual Learning Director for Elkin City Schools, Matt Harrold of NC Farm Bureau, Emilio Lopez of State Farm Insurance, Aaron Misenheimer of Edward Jones and Wilkes County Commissioner Eddie Settle of NuLine Embroidery, made it so much fun for the community to dunk these community leaders,” said Matthews.
The giant pumpkins, gourds and watermelons did not disappoint either. The Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival Weigh Off is a nationally sanctioned site so many growers from the East Coast brought their fruits to officially be weighed in categories including pumpkin, watermelon and bushel gourds.
Assisting with the awards presentations during the weigh-off were three queens representing other areas of the state. Junior Rhododendron Queen Alyssa Hemphill and Rhododendron Queen Taylor Loyd, representing the Rhododendron Festival in Bakersville and Young Miss Blueberry Perry Kim representing Pender County took part in Saturday’s celebration.
“We started coming to the Pumpkin Festival about six years ago,” said Bob Hensley, business manager of the Rhododendron Queens organization. “It’s been a great festival. I’m glad to see it’s growing and making a great come back after the COVID shutdown. We’re just tickled to be here.”
Hensley said the Rhododendron Festival held in Bakersville, about two and half hours away from Elkin, takes place each June and celebrates the 600 acre natural rhododendron gardens atop Roan Mountain at 6200 feet elevation.
“We’re a small town and small county but we’re big on everything rhododendron,” he said.
Miss Blueberry Perry Kim put in a plug for her region of the state in Pender County as well, informing Pumpkin Festival goers that N.C. is the sixth largest blueberry producer in the country.
“I want to encourage you to check the label when you go grocery shopping because it’s got to be NC agriculture,” she said.
This year’s pumpkin category included a state record breaking pumpkin weighing in at 1803 pounds.
Chamber President David Steelman estimated that more than 10,000 visitors enjoyed the festival this year. Steelman said that the financial and public relations for Elkin and the Yadkin Valley was great. The event was first started more than 20 years ago to help bring people into downtown that normally never get here.
“We defiantly achieved that this year,” said Steelman.
Chamber leaders also expressed thanks for the committee, volunteers and sponsors that made the event possible. Volunteers included Desiree Mastin, Marty Roberts, Tammy Butcher, Laura Gaylord, Mike Bovender, Derrick and Denise Cordova, and Madeline Wilson.
“We were grateful for the sponsors because without them there were so many new things and new avenues of advertising would not of been possible,” said Matthews. Sponsors of the Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival included Cool Springs Meat Processing, Darnell Pressuring Washing, The Mustard Seed Boutique, Emily Barr Andrews Attorney PLLC, Explore Elkin, First National Bank, Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital, GB Energy, Frontier Natural Gas, Surry Communication, Soyworx, Duke Energy, Weyerhaeuser, CMS Insurance, Life Store Insurance, Surrey Bank, Mazzinis, Basin Creek Realty, Gentry Family Funeral Home, DC4Denistry, Chatham Rehab/Nursing, Garanco, Mountain Valley Hospice, SHAC and Surry Yadkin Membership Corp.
Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival Weigh-off results
Watermelon:
Andrew Vial – 1st 289.5
Jake Holloway – 2nd 264.5
Chris Kent – 3rd 233
Long Gourds
Chris Kent – 1st 110.25”
Brandon Huber – 2nd 73.25”
Gregory Epperson – 3rd 50.25”
Tomato
Susie Zuerner -1.28lbs
Pumpkins
Robert Cyrus – 1st 1803.5lbs New State Record
Albert Rodebough II – 2nd 1292.5 lbs
Ryan Cook – 3rd 1016 lbs
Squash
Chris Rodenbaugh – 1st 744lbs
Field Pumpkin
Ernie Coley – 94lbs
Bushel Gourd
HC Williams – 1st 141.5lbs
Albert Rodebough – 2nd 104lbs
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