Decorating contest still open

To keep the boos from turning into boo-hoos for those who missed the entry form deadline for the City of Troy’s Have a Heart & Show Your Art Pumpkin Decorating Contest, the deadline for entering this fun contest has been extended to Tuesday, Oct. 25.

“Because a lot of us wait until the last minute, we decided to extend the deadline because so many people have expressed an interest in entering the pumpkin decorating contest,” said Ashley Smallwood, Troy special projects coordinator. “That gives everyone more time and also a chance to get ideas for decorating their pumpkins.”

To make entering even easier, the $10 entry fee may be paid and the entry form filled out when the decorated pumpkins are turned in anytime before 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 25.

“We already have a couple of pumpkins that have been decorated and are on display in the lobby of City Hall,” Smallwood said.

One pumpkin is a heart to represent the American Heart Association and the other is the Pink Princess by Mary Stoltze.

The pumpkins on display can inspire and motivate those who want to enter but don’t have any idea as to how to decorate a 3-D pumpkin.

“The pumpkins can be 3-D and have additional parts but they cannot be carved,” Smallwood said. “They can be no larger than two-feet in height and two-feet in width.”

The challenge of creating a “designer” pumpkin within those specifications is half the fun.

“Then there is the fun of seeing how competitive your pumpkin is in the “Have a Heart and Show Your Art Pumpkin Decorating Contest,” Smallwood said.

Judging will be on Oct. 27. The winning entry will receive a $100 cash prize.

“Anyone can enter the pumpkin decorating contest and this is a good opportunity for businesses to advertise and support a good cause at the same time,” Smallwood said.

Some of the pumpkin entries will be on display at the 20th Annual Peanut Butter Festival in Brundidge on Saturday, Oct. 29.

“In support of the Peanut Butter Festival in Brundidge, we will ask those who enter for their permission to have their pumpkins on display at Festival,” Smallwood said. “We invite everyone to come to Troy City Hall and see the pumpkins on display on Oct. 27 and 28 and at the Peanut Butter Festival on Saturday.”