Spalding Pumpkin Festival brought out the crowds to Hall Place, Market Place and Sheep Market

A gourd crowd was seen in Spalding over the weekend when families turned out to support the town’s popular Pumpkin Festival.

Hundreds of people descended onto the town centre to enjoy a trip down Pumpkin Street, listen to the singers on the stage outside South Holland Centre along with using the shops and stalls.

South Holland District Council’s communities organised Saturday’s event – and it proved incredibly popular with families.

Portfolio holder for communities and operational housing Coun Tracey Carter was pleased with the response to the window dressing competition and praised the costumes of youngsters who entered into the scarecrow competition.

She said: “It was nice to see town so full and people did have bags so they had been using the town’s shops and stalls which is really good.

“Businesses had put a lot of effort into the window dressing competition and the singers were brilliant.

“The costumes for the scarecrow competition were fabulous.”

Bridge Street was transformed into Pumpkin Street with some fantastic chicken wire sculptures with pumpkin spiders, pumpkin pigs and bird houses. These were created by Jonathan Nicholls and Paul Crewe.

Youngsters also had a gourd time by having a go at decorating their own pumpkins.

Crowds were drawn to the Pumpkin Stage in front of the South Holland Centre to enjoy a performance by a range of singers plus the theatre was also showing a screening of Beauty and the Beast.

Children also had a blast in the autumnal globe which was set up in Hall Place while stalls were set up in the town centre and Sheep Market.

Vice-chairman of Spalding Business Board, Catherine Duce, was also delighted with the event’s success and praised the communities team.

She said: “It was really nice to see so many people in town.

“It was a really positive for the town.”

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