BRADFORD — The 88th annual Bradford Pumpkin Show officially got underway Tuesday afternoon, but things actually started happening Sunday night and even prior to that with the pole-decorating contest and the decorators making it happen.
Generally, the village residents decorate their properties and they are judged, but to help in curbing expenses this year it was decided to do the poles instead.
Serving on the committee for the pole-decorating were Glenna Trevino Curry, April Murphy Brubaker and Rita Grow Leis.
“We will alternate the house/property-decorating and pole-decorating events, so next year we will go back to the houses,” said Curry. “It costs a lot to decorate a yard and house.”
This year’s competition was broken up into three divisions: Individuals, families, churches, friends, etc. in Division I: elementary classes and organizations in Division II; and grades 6-12 class in Division III. Six winners were chosen in the first division and one each in Divisions II and III.
Winners in Division I were Toni and Jeff Fashner (pole 2), Village Pizza-Jim Smith (pole 10), Weldy’s Dairy Bar (pole 11), Bradford Fire Department (pole 12), G.R.O.W. Garden Club (pole 15) and Palsgrove/Monnin families (pole 16). Mrs. Hunt’s fourth-grade class was the winner of Division II and Bradford varsity cheerleaders were Division III winners.
Each winner received $150 in cash. Also receiving that same amount of cash were the Bradford Fire Department, winner of the People’s Choice award, and Damon Brewer, whose name was drawn randomly from the list of non-winning pole decorators. Thus, there was a $1,500 in total prize money.
Judging was based on theme “Bradford Celebrates 150 Years” and the use of pumpkins in that display; on lighting; on neatness of design; on originality and creativity; and on overall appeal for the street viewer.
Judges were Brenda Shively, Drs. Rob Maher and Jennifer Stevens, Clinton Randall and Linda Moody. Transporting the judges around town (Miriam Avenue and Main Street where the poles were decorated) were Fred Curry and his brother, Grover Curry.
Entries were to use some live pumpkins in a display and for the creative use of pumpkins. They were to be lighted and absolutely have no tape used on the poles. Displayed items must have been kept out of the way of both sidewalk and street traffic; and decorations could only go 8 feet up the pole.
Poles were to be decorated to depict anything pertaining to the last 150 years…history, fashion, inventions, sports, entertainment, famous people or anything else that has meaning to the last 150 years, around the time when the Bradford Pumpkin Show got its start.
There were a total of 39 entries; 32 in the first division, four in the section division and three in the third division.
