Washington Borough’s Veteran’s Park will be turned into Pumpkin Park for one day as part of the Washington Business Improvement District’s annual Hometown Halloween festivities on Saturday Oct. 26. From 3-5 p.m. children can visit participating downtown businesses for candy and other goodies. Soon after the park will be lit up with over 2000 pounds of carved pumpkins.

Washington area families are invited to Veterans Park in downtown Washington Borough to carve the pumpkins that will be lit up that evening. Pumpkins will be available free of charge for families that want to carve pumpkins for the display. Volunteers will gut the pumpkins that morning so that they are all ready to carve starting at 11 a.m. Carving tools will be available at the event.

Hometown Halloween is an annual event sponsored by the Washington BID and the downtown businesses. Area children are encouraged to wear their costumes and trick or treat at the downtown businesses from 3-5 p.m. Prizes will be awarded for the best individual and family group costumes. Costumed pets are welcome, too, and are also eligible for prizes!

Pumpkin Park is a new addition to Hometown Halloween this year and is sponsored by Bob Valinski and friends. Valinski says that he has great pumpkin carving memories with his kids who are now grown, so he wants to pay it forward and help create memories for the young families of Washington.

While in Downtown Washington, be sure to check out the pumpkin carving competition entries at each of the local businesses….and check out the pumpkin themed specials at the shops and eateries.

Schedule of events for Saturday October 26th:

• 11 am – 3 pm (or until pumpkins run out) – Family pumpkin carving at Pumpkin Park (Veterans Park)
• 3 – 5 pm – Trick or Treating at the downtown businesses. DJ Mitch Hess will be playing spooky tunes.
• 6 to 9 pm – PUMPKIN PARK …bring the family down to check out all the pumpkins and other Halloween displays.
• 7:30 pm – Tales of the Boro…. spooky ghost stories from Washington Boro. Come hear about who still haunts the Boro.
• 9 pm – families can pick up their carved pumpkins to take home.

Frequently asked questions:

• Where is Pumpkin Park? Veteran’s Park in Downtown Washington Borough at 44 E. Washington Ave, Washington Borough.
• Who can carve pumpkins? Families from the Washington area are invited to carve pumpkins….one per child while supplies last. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent who can sign a liability waiver.
• Can adults carve too? Yes…. adults can be kids too!
• Is it really free? YES! 2000 pounds of pumpkins will be delivered that day for carving. Pumpkin carving tools will be available to use.
• Can I bring my own pumpkin? YES! If you have a special pumpkin that you’d like to display for the community, please bring it down to add to the display.
• Can I take my pumpkin home after carving? All carved pumpkins will be used for the light up display in Pumpkin Park from 6 – 9 pm…. you’re welcome to take it home after 9pm.
• What happens to all the pumpkin seeds? The volunteer pumpkin gutters will carefully bag all the seeds which will provide a feast to the chickens and Dandy Lion Acres farm.

Sponsors for this year’s Hometown Halloween include Michael F Yates & Co., Abilities of Northwest Jersey, Visions Federal Credit Union, Get A Grip & More, Warren Hills Memorial Home, Home Instead Senior Care, Good Impressions Print Communications, Swift Print Solutions, West Washington Family Dentistry, Arctic Foods/The Meat Shoppe, Schembre & Gannon CPA, Warren County Dental, Washington Car Wash, Mike’s Auto Body, K & A Farms and Serendipity Gift Shop.

For more information about events in Washington Borough, visit washingtonbid.org or check out the Washington BID Facebook page.