NEW BREMEN — The New Bremen Community Improvement Corporation is partnering with the Southwestern Auglaize County Chamber of Commerce to hold the seventh annual New Bremen Pumpkin People Contest.

Twenty New Bremen businesses will decorate pumpkins and display them.

Participating businesses include: Brookside Laboratories, P.T. Services Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Auglaize-Mercer YMCA South Branch, First National Bank, Gilberg-Hartwig Funeral Home, New Bremen Elementary/JH High, Bicycle Museum of America, Wagner’s IGA, New Bremen Cub Scout Pack 61, YMCA Learning Center, St. Paul United Church of Christ Discipleship Team, Safeway Packaging, Topsy Turvy Toys, New Bremen Historic Association, Gagel Plumbing & Heating, New Bremen Public Library, Gilberg Furniture, The Crown Store, The New Bremen Store, and The New Bremen Massage Clinic.

As the pumpkin people start to appear in New Bremen on Monday, Sept. 21, area residents are encouraged to visit and vote for their favorite pumpkin person. Voting will take place from Monday, Sept. 21 through Thursday, Sept. 24. Votes can be cast at each participating business and at the New Bremen Public Library. Some of the Pumpkin People will be on display at Lock One.

“The Pumpkin People Contest gets local businesses involved in the fall fun and is an excellent way of setting the mood for the New Bremen Pumpkinfest (www.newbremenpumpkinfest.com) which starts on Friday, Sept. 25 and runs until Saturday,” said Logan O’Neill, Executive Director of the Southwestern Auglaize County Chamber of Commerce. “This is the seventh year for the contest, and this year creativity is already flowing for pumpkin person ideas from our local businesses. In past years, individuals have driven from as far away as Dayton to come see the displays.”

Ballots will be accepted through Thursday, Sept. 24. Three ballots will be selected from all of the votes and the voter on each ballot selected will win chamber gift certificates for participating in the voting. The winning pumpkin person will be announced at Pumpkinfest which is held at the Crown Pavilion. The business with the winning pumpkin person receives a $100 chamber gift certificate.