The summer’s flying by. Beaches and parking lots are crowded. It’s hot and steamy. And yet there’s  a group of dedicated volunteers already planning the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta, which will take place the week before and throughout Columbus Day weekend, Sept. 29 - Oct. 8.

One of the main features of the 10-day festival is the display of artistically designed pumpkins that grace downtown Damariscotta, Newcastle and beyond. These stars of Pumpkinfest are painted and sculpted by area volunteer artists to the delight of the thousands of visitors who attend the annual event. Indeed, more and more visitors have come specifically to watch the artists in action—guessing what the pumpkin will become and discovering a new art form while chatting with the artists and becoming familiar with them and their work beyond the giant pumpkins.

“Pumpkin Artists at Work” has grown into a highlight of Pumpkinfest itself as photographers—amateurs and professionals alike—capture the transformation of the garden gourds into masterpieces. Atlantic Giant Pumpkins will be delivered downtown on Thursday evening, Oct. 4, and will be available for painting and carving immediately thereafter (also on Friday, Oct. 5).

In addition, five "Giant Hay Bales," (ie: white-plastic wrapped-baleage), also are painted, but they are completed before the first weigh-off. Those five bales must be painted from Sept. 21 - 28, as they require their two orange base coats to dry before their designs are painted. (Please go to www.damariscottapumpkinfest.com and click on "Pumpkin Art" for tips and techniques for painting either real pumpkins OR hay bales.)

The Pumpkinfest Artist Committee is currently seeking artists to transform this season’s crop of giant pumpkins into fun and fabulous works of art. In that Damariscotta Pumpkinfest plans to apply for a “public art” foundation grant from The Maine Arts Commission in 2018, the committee is seeking accomplished artists who could help achieve that goal. The MAC Project Grant is largely awarded on the basis of “artistic strength & creative practice” which the Commission describes as “including the artist’s background, education, awards & honors.”

All artists are recognized for their artwork on a plaque at the base of their pumpkin, on the web site’s printable “Pumpkin Trail” which includes each pumpkin’s location/size/sponsor/artist, as well as being featured on the Pumpkinfest website and Facebook page. In addition, large prints of a dozen 2018-pumpkins will be displayed at the CLC-YMCA next September. For more information, please email a short summary of your artistic background, such as your web site address, as well as your contact details to artists@damariscottapumpkinfest.com .   

Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & RegattaTM is a 501(C)(3) organization whose mission is to promote education to citizens of all ages regarding the specific agricultural science required to grow giant pumpkins, and to provide local non-profit organizations with opportunities for dissemination of information on their activities and fundraising. For more information, visit the website listed above or at www.facebook.com/damariscottapumpkinfest.com.