Springfield’s second annual Pumpkin Stroll After Dark is scheduled for Thursday through Saturday, from 5 to 8 p.m., in Forest Park’s Aquatic Gardens. WWLP reports that Mayor Domenic Sarno is hosting the event, which offers free admission and parking, a shuttle from the parking area, and complimentary cider and donuts. Organizers expected more than 2,000 visitors, MassLive reported.
Preparing the display
MassLive reported that the Parks Department planned a display of 400 pumpkins, with a small portion of its budget covering the bulk purchase. Department staff removed the seeds and pulp before carving began, then treated the finished pumpkins with a bleach solution and petroleum jelly and stored them in a cool place until they were fitted with electric candles and placed along the garden paths.
The display brought together volunteers from the Western Massachusetts Women’s Correctional Center, Springfield Central High School, and the Conservatory for the Arts. MassLive reported that about 20 people from the correctional center and 30 Central High students carved pumpkins on separate days at the Forest Park Monkey House; another 30 Conservatory students were expected to finish the work. Thomas Ashe, the city’s director of Parks, Buildings and Recreation Management, credited the volunteers as essential to completing the project, according to the outlet.
How the event began
MassLive reported that local sisters Rosa, Dianna, Joanna, and Yolanda Buonfiglio suggested the idea for a similar stroll to Ashe last year. The department is preparing the display for its second year in Forest Park, WWLP also reported.
Springfield’s park system
The event takes place within a city park system that spans more than Forest Park. According to the City of Springfield, the Parks Department was founded in 1883 and now includes more than 3,000 acres of open space and more than 50 neighborhood parks.
