Olde Towne businesses will host a showdown this Saturday in a battle of the best pumpkin.
The celebrity pumpkin-carving contest is a new feature to the Okotoks Scarecrow Festival and will see businesses representing Olde Towne Okotoks face off at the Olde Towne Plaza from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
“Each of the events, we try to add something new and something a little bit interesting,” said Marg Cox, the Town of Okotoks’ community promotions/events co-ordinator.
Each contestant brings their own carving tools and possible accessories, and will be given a pumpkin, she said.
“They are to become as creative as they possibly can with that. The rules are pretty well open,” said Cox.
Facing off in the competition are Dr. Marco Bregliano from the Elizabeth Street Pet Hospital, the Western Wheel’s John Barlow, Okotoks and District Chamber of Commerce president Bev Carlson, Sarah Hughes from the Eagle, and Cactus Club Salon and Spa owner Mandy Patterson.
Bregliano said he didn’t know much about the expectations and plans to head to the drawing board to devise a strategy.
In terms of his competition, he said Patterson posed a threat with her artistic and creative skills.
“I guess it’s going to be the skill of blade versus the creative edge that she may have, so it should be interesting,” he teased, referring to his skills as a veterinarian.
Bregliano said he was looking forward to the event.
“(I’m a) little nervous, but definitely always up for a challenge.”
Okotoks Mayor Bill Robertson will be one of the competition’s judges and said he will be looking for creative pumpkins.
“Certainly there’s the old standard, just cut out the eyes, nose and mouth, or they can get pretty fancy. So I’ll be interested to see what people come up with.”
Robertson, who is looking forward to the event, added, “We like to participate, it’s a good community activity and it’s all fun.”
Cox said she hopes people will come out to the festival and take the opportunity to look at the scarecrows around town and cast their vote for the best scarecrow competition as the winner will be announced Oct. 29.
The Okotoks Kinsmen Club will host a barbecue and Cox requests everyone bring a non-perishable food item donation for the food bank.
“It’s a Saturday afternoon, everybody wants a hotdog, probably,” she said, “and just to come and encourage them and cheer them on and have some fun with it.”
