Gallery: Pumpkin Festival through the years

Toril Lavender/For The Herald-Dispatch

Emily Blessing, 2, of Charleston, picks out a little pumpkin at the Halfway Market booth at the 23rd annual West Virginia Pumpkin Festival at West Virginia Pumpkin Park in Milton on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008.

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

Oversized pumpkins, including an 1137 pound pumpkin, are displayed during the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2011, at Pumpkin Park in Milton.

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

The West Virginia Pumpkin Festival continues on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009, in Milton.

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

Natalie Bone, Alishia Bishop, and Jordan Snidow pick out pumpkins during the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2011, at Pumpkin Park in Milton.

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

Isabella Casto, 2, sits in front of a display of pumpkins at the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2011, at Pumpkin Park in Milton.

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

The West Virginia Pumpkin Festival continues on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2011, at Pumpkin Park in Milton.

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch Seven-year-old Nicholas Fultz carries his decorated pumpkin to a display area while visiting the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival Thursday, Oct. 4, 2007, in Milton.

Toril Lavender/For The Herald-Dispatch

Gracie Griggs, 4, of Boone County, W.Va., looks through the pumpkins for sale at Halfway Market sales booth at the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival in Milton Friday, Oct. 2, 2009.

Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch

Dozens of schools from surrounding counties come out for School Days at the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2011, at the Milton Pumpkin Park.

Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch

Tyler Swimm, 5, and Kylee Street, 5, of East Lynn Elementary carry in a few pumpkins to decorate as dozens of schools from surrounding counties come out for School Days at the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2011, at the Milton Pumpkin Park.

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

The large pumpkin auction is held during the Pumpkin Festival on Sunday, Oct. 10, 2010, in Milton.

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch Visitors gather to watch as Gary Stokes of West Harrison, Indiana as he demonstrates weaving during the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival Thursday, Oct. 4, 2007, in Milton.

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

Several children gather to decorate pumpkins while visiting the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009, in Milton.

Chris Harris/The Herald-Dispatch

Pumpkin weigh-ins Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008, at the Milton Pumpkin Festival.

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch Haley Withers sits by some pumpkins during the Pumpkin Festival on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010, at the West Virginia Pumpkin Park in Milton.

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

Cahley Farrell, Paul Farrell, Carly Farrell, and Connor Farrell pose for a photo with the prize winning 969 lb. pumpkin after Paul won the bid during the large pumpkin auction on Sunday, Oct. 10, 2010, at the Pumpkin Festival in Milton.

Chris Harris/The Herald-Dispatch

One-year-old Katie Wellman looks through a pumpkin patch during the the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008, in Milton.

Chris Harris

Chris Harris/The Herald-Dispatch Walter Meadows moves Jim Bowens 1192lb pumpkin for weigh in at the 2007 West Virginia Pumpkin Festival Largest Pumpkin Weighing Contest, Wednesday, October 3, 2007. West Virginia Pumkin Festival at Pumkin Park in Milton.

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch The Kidd Brothers perform during the Pumpkin Festival on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010, at the West Virginia Pumpkin Park in Milton.

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch Raelin Tatum stands next to a 969 lb. pumpkin at the Pumpkin Festival on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010, at the West Virginia Pumpkin Park in Milton.

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch Thousands of visitors attend the Pumpkin Festival on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010, at the West Virginia Pumpkin Park in Milton.

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

The Pumpkin Festival grand parade on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008, in downtown Milton.

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

Decorated pumpkins are displayed in a field the Pumpkin Festival on Friday, Oct. 8, 2010, in Milton.

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

Several decorated pumpkins are displayed in a field at the Pumpkin Festival on Friday, Oct. 8, 2010, in Milton.

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

Lauren Carroll, 8, of Ona, looks for a place to display her decorated pumpkin while visiting the Pumpkin Festival on Friday, Oct. 8, 2010, in Milton.

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

Gov. Joe Manchin waves to the crowd during the Pumpkin Festival Parade on Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010, in Milton.

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

Carly Farrell poses on top of an 1140 pound pumpkin during the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009, in Milton.

Toril Lavender/For The Herald-Dispatch

Timothy Ruley, a fourth-grader at Meadows Elementary, decorates his pumpkin as part of School Days at the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival in Milton Friday, Oct. 2, 2009.

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

Several people line up at the gate to visit the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009, in Milton.

Toril Lavender/For The Herald-Dispatch

Suzanne Tewawine makes fry bread as part of the encampment portion of the 23rd annual West Virginia Pumpkin Festival at West Virginia Pumpkin Park in Milton Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008.