Troy Stewart takes people on carriage rides during the second annual Evans City PumpkinFest in September 2023. Butler Eagle file photo

Entering its third year, the annual PumpkinFest has already become something that residents of Evans City look forward to each fall.

PumpkinFest will take over Evans City once more on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 21 and 22.

Established in September 2022 as a replacement for the defunct Evans City Octoberfest, PumpkinFest was the brainchild of Molly DiFiore, who runs the web design firm Ordinary Pixels and is also the vice president of Evans City’s events committee.

“I do PumpkinFest purely on a volunteer basis,” DiFiore said. “The entire board and volunteer organization works together to throw these events, and events like this are not possible without a full, dedicated team.”

DiFiore promises that the third PumpkinFest will be the biggest one yet, with new attractions not seen at the prior two.

Among them is the first PumpkinFest Community Art Show, held over both days at the Gospel Life Church on South Washington Street. The art show will feature art from various categories, including painting, sculpture, writing and knitting.

PumpkinFest kicks off at 7 a.m. Saturday with an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast at the Evans City fire hall on North Jackson Street.

Other major attractions throughout the weekend include pumpkin carriage rides, an alpaca petting zoo, a pumpkin pie eating contest at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, and the Pumpkin Rumble car cruise at noon Sunday.

Wahl Avenue along with North Jackson and Jefferson streets will be closed to vehicles for the duration of PumpkinFest.

DiFiore recommends that visitors park at the aforementioned Gospel Life Church, the Boylan-Glenn-Kildoo Funeral Home on East Main Street, EDCO Park on West Main Street, or the Evans City VFW on North Washington Street.

“We are completely sold out for craft and food vendors,” DiFiore said. We have over 100 vendors combined.“

DiFiore said the Evans City events committee, of which she is the vice president, recently received 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, and she is hoping to leverage the success of PumpkinFest into more events for the borough in the future.

“Our plan is to roll this into more events for Evans City throughout the year, including an Easter celebration, and working with the other organizations in Evans City to promote their events,” DiFiore said.

The back streets of Evans City are filled during the second annual PumpkinFest in September 2023. Butler Eagle File Photo