NORWICH – With the fall season comes the cool crisp autumn air, the brightly colored hillsides of the Chenango County, and all the festivities of the 16th annual Pumpkin Festival set to kick off one last community-based event of year on Friday in downtown Norwich.

Thousands are expected to make their way to East and West parks this weekend for a two-day festival in the heart of the city. In spite of the change from its traditional time – held earlier this year than ever before – organizers promise all the traditional events and expect just as big of a turnout.

“This will be our second year with the date change,” said this year’s Pumpkin Festival coordinator Tyler Oliver. “Last year was so successful with warmer weather and the highest attendance we have on record.”

The Pumpkin Festival gets underway rain or shine at 5 p.m. tonight with the annual Harvest Dinner at the United Methodist Church on North Broad Street. The first stage performance of the festival will take the spotlight shortly after in East Park, when the father-daughter duo John and Kaitlyn Jackson hit the stage at 5:30. And from 5:30-7, giant pumpkins will tip the scales during the giant pumpkin weigh-in.

As always, scaffolding will line the downtown sidewalks for anyone to show off their pumpkin carving skills, Oliver noted.