The fall season is in full swing in Fort Collins.
On Oct. 22-25, The Gardens on Spring Creek gathered local artists and families to the annual Pumpkins on Parade harvest celebration. With a family-friendly focus, attendees of all ages could come and enjoy activities such as pumpkin art, dancing and fall-themed entertainment.
The celebration featured giant pumpkins and artistic displays, as well as a DJ, magician, pumpkin carving and carnival games. Aaron Varnell, the public events coordinator for The Gardens, said he wanted to expand the event’s audience by curating unique pumpkin-oriented events. Varnell said he took on the role of creative and organizational director of Pumpkins on Parade last year.
“One of the things that makes Fort Collins so special is that there are so many great community events here,” Varnell said. “I view Pumpkins on Parade as sort of an essential piece in that puzzle.”
People in attendance Thursday, Oct. 22 said they thought the event was successful in creating an overarching fall atmosphere that brought the community together.
“We wanted something fun and fall, and this is very fall,” attendee Natalie Serrag said. “I’m enjoying looking at everybody (in costume), being in community.”
Meadow Marchessault, who attended the event with Serrag, agreed the event was fun and easily accessible to the community.
“I was just looking for something fun to do online and something fall-related,” Marchessault said. “I saw this, and it was something close by.”
Marchessault also pointed out how the focus on celebrating fall instead of exclusively Halloween made the event more inclusive due to the religious implications holidays can bring. This year, the parade shifted from a spooky Halloween event to a weekend of celebrating the fall season and the harvest that comes with it.
“For parents with kids, to be able to do something that is appealing to both the parents and the children and the grandparents, …. it’s great to be able to provide that kind of an event,” Varnell said. “There are (a) significant amount of people who just want to go to a fun Halloween event that’s not necessarily scary.”
Additionally, the location of The Gardens allowed the organizers to show off the natural elements that accompany the changing seasons as decoration.
“Our focus here is really creating an experience that has significant elements of Halloween but also celebrates the pumpkins that are harvested this time of year and other plants from The Gardens that are sort of going through their own seasonal changes and dormancy,” Varnell said.
The landscape was highlighted through both The Garden’s staff and the local artists in collaboration with the event. Varnell said this was the first time local artists were sought out to bring their own creative spin to the event’s themes. He said artists were encouraged to pitch their own ideas for themes, displays and activities to expand what Pumpkins on Parade had in store.
“I gave them the thematic areas that we’ll do throughout The Gardens and sort of let them drive the creative vision,” Varnell said. “I believe in allowing artist creativity to shine and flourish, and so, a lot of these conversations have been: ‘You came with this awesome idea. Let’s figure out how we augment it and tie it in.'”
Rita Jokerst, a local artist who worked on multiple pumpkin art displays at the event, was able to do just that. After working with the Pumpkins on Parade event on and off since 2020, Jokerst created immersive scenes that held their integrity for the full four days of the event. Jokerst said she worked to incorporate natural elements into her display while being mindful of the time limit that comes with using real, perishable pumpkins.
Other artists like Danice Chou and Katie Redman used their backgrounds in technology and 3D modeling to design a castle facade and pumpkin totems. The castle was crafted with wood, sculpted with XPS insulation foam board and filled with real pumpkins while the totem was carved and capped with 3D-printed gargoyles. Although Chou said it was her first time involved with Pumpkins on Parade, her creativity shone through.
“I really enjoy Halloween festivities and collaborating and getting involved in the community,” Chou said. “It’s a good opportunity for community to come together. It also gives (us) an opportunity to flex our creative skills and actually put things to use.”
She acknowledged the importance of The Gardens in the aesthetic of Pumpkins on Parade.
“It’s been nice to get a bit more familiar with The Gardens that previously I had always passed by on the bike trail, but with this event, it’s also my first time in The Gardens as well,” Chou said.
Redman said she agreed that getting to know The Gardens through this event helped her learn more about Fort Collins and even her own art.
“Being able to contribute to this community event in a creative capacity was a fun way to express gratitude and goodwill to our broader Fort Collins community,” Redman said. “The Gardens at Spring Creek opened up the doors to creative expression that we hope will delight our friends and neighbors throughout the four-day weekend event.”
Reach Simone McClellan at life@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.
