NEW BREMEN – The catchphrase “Pumpkin For the People” promises a great autumn experience of new brews and pumpkin-flavored food for those who attend Pumpkinfest 2019 in New Bremen, Ohio. To be held Friday and Saturday, Sept. 27 and 28, other features include an art show, bike tour and a raffle to support the local community.
Ticket sales for the raffle drawing are sold online at the event website. Prize include a movie and dinner for one year and craft beer for a year. There are also many other prizes provided by local businesses. Winners are drawn at 11 p.m. on Saturday.
All Pumpkinfest information can be found at www.newbremenpumpkinfest.com or on Facebook.
The event begins at 4 p.m. Friday with social amenities that include a Happy Hour and a Half. There are several new craft beers available this year from Moeller Brew Barn, Tailspin, Lake Rat, Endless Pint, Municipal Brew Works, Rhinegeist, Branch & Bone, and New Bremen’s own Gongoozlers Brewery.
New for this year, food trucks will complement the usual food tents, both opening at 5 pm. Pumpkin pie at the food tent that will be cooked by Susan Krieg of the Pie Shell. On Saturday, the Immanuel Church Women’s Guild of Kettlersville will be selling pumpkin rolls and Michelle’s Macarons will also be selling their delicious treats.
Musical accompanyment Friday night will be by Mark Cantwil from 5 to 7 p.m. and ReFlextion from 8 p.m. to midnight. Kids will have inflatables from 5 to 9 p.m. and adults can entertain themselves with Shuffle Mug until 12 midnight.
At 6pm local brewers will be dropping off their entries in the Home Brew competition. The judges are professionals from local microbreweries including Lake Rat Brewing of Celina, Moeller’s Brew Barn of Maria Stein, Tailspin Brewing Co. in Coldwater, Endless Pint Brewing of Versailles, and the soon-to-be-opened Gongoozlers Brewery of New Bremen.
Categories include light, dark, hoppy and pumpkin. Winners get a medal or trophy and the overall winner will be allowed to brew their recipe at the Lake Rat Brewing Company. Other information can be found at the Pumpkinfest website.
Breakfast will be served at 7 a.m. on Saturday morning, provided by the New Bremen Cub Scouts.
The Great Pumpkin Bike Roll begins at 8:30 a.m. for the 60 mile bike tours and 9am for the 20 and 30 mile bike tours. Participants will ride along flat or rolling terrain, finding rest stops and equipment repair help. Preregistration cost is $12 and $15 for same-day registration which starts at 7 a.m. The bike event is part of the Road To Fitness Grand Lake Health System program.
Over 35 vendors will be at the Artisan Showcase & Marketplace. Special activities on Saturday include a wood burning class at 10 a.m. on and wine tastings at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Sign-up information for these events can be found on the Artisan Showcase & Marketplace Facebook page.
Also new this year is a Community Drum Circle with Brittany Scheer of Living Music LLC. The Community Drum Circle is from 11 a.m. to noon on Saturday and registration is not required.
Food trucks and tents will open at 11 a.m. Kids activities include sidewalk chalk competitions, touch a truck, free pony rides, and kids face painting.
Adults can try their hand at cornhole and shuffle mug competitions at 3 p.m. The truly brave can try 3:30’s pie eating competition along with local celebrities.
This year a new band is headlining on Saturday night. My Sister Sarah will turn Pumpkinfest into a party on Saturday night from 9:30 p.m. until 1 a.m.
Founded in 2003, Pumpkinfest began as a small event for giant pumpkin growers to show off their biggest and most prized pumpkins. Over the years, Pumpkinfest grew into a beloved local festival bringing in giant pumpkins from all over the Midwest and putting on equally giant events, like setting the record for the World’s Largest Pumpkin Pie in 2010.
In recent years, the New Bremen Pumpkinfest became a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and adopted a new purpose and mission. The mission focuses on giving back to the community by providing a quality harvest-style festival in celebration of music, art, food, football, friends, family, and all things pumpkin flavored and to raise money to support parks and recreation in the community for years to come. In 2013, the New Bremen Pumpkinfest created a charitable fund at the New Bremen Foundation.
