While the autumn season might be one of the furthest things from the minds of many locals, members on the Pumpkin Festival Committee are thinking ahead and planning big changes for this year’s annual Pumpkin Festival that include moving the event to an earlier date.

This year, Pumpkin Fest will begin Friday, October 12 and run through Saturday, October 13 – two weeks sooner than the event’s conventional date on the weekend before Halloween. While the change is certainly breaking away from a long-standing tradition in the city, it’s all part of an effort to better the event, increase participation, avoid interference with the high school fall sports playoff schedule, and keep the festival exciting and new, explained members of the Pumpkin Festival Committee.