Fall fun in North Canaan

The North Canaan Pumpkin Fest occupied the expanse of Lawrence Field with spectacular weather on Saturday, Oct. 19.

While sporting a new name, North Canaan Events Committee Chair Jenn Crane assured that this year’s festival was a continuation of previous autumn celebrations organized by the Committee. It was the first year the event has been located at Lawrence Field, which Crane said was a welcomed change from the more restrictive sites of previous iterations.

“This is really about collaboration,” Crane said, highlighting the many partnerships that enabled the festival to go forward. The Committee joined with many local nonprofits and businesses to bring the action to Lawrence Field, including the Housatonic Valley FFA Chapter, the Scouts, Saint Martin of Tours church, The Music Lab, and the Cranford Club. Local farms also joined in, with Freund’s, Ford and Carlwood farms contributing to the festivities.

Vendor tents lined the field selling various crafts and trinkets, while activities for families included pumpkin painting, regular painting, face painting, kids karaoke and a petting zoo. The festival ran an emergency relief drive for communities in the Southeast impacted by Hurricane Helene, which was continued at town hall on Sunday.

Alpacas bask in the autumn sun at Pumpkin Fest.Alec Linden

The petting zoo was operated by the Housatonic Valley FFA and included two alpacas and several pint-sized goats in a small pen. Chris Crane, president of the chapter at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, said they’re “just trying to get outreach to the community” about opportunities with the FFA.

Other features included Heather Matthews’ “mobile classroom and book bus,” where she gives away donated children’s books. Based in Sharon, it was her first time bringing the book bus to North Canaan, and the day had been fruitful. “My goal is to give away as many books as possible,” and she had donated several hundred at the festival, Matthews said.

Another popular booth was run by national art honor society students from Mount Everett Regional School, providing face painting, painting lessons, and even caricatures for participants. Some 25-30 kids had stopped by, the students said, “and some adults too.”