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Neighbors | Zack Shively.Mill Creek Metroparks hosted its annual Pumpkin Walk at Twilight event at Fellows Riverside Gardens on Oct. 15. They estimated that they had more than 1,500 pumpkins.
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Neighbors | Zack Shively.Singer J.D. Eicher performed throughout the Pumpkin Walk at Twilight at Fellows Riverside Gardens. His music could be heard at most areas of the walk.
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Neighbors | Zack Shively.Mill Creek Metroparks set up a number of events in the basement of the D.D. and Velma Davis Education & Visitor Center. Jim Smolka had a panel of interesting creatures, including tartantulas and scorpions.
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Neighbors | Zack Shively.The park had a pumpkin decorating area in the basement of the Davis Center. The downstairs of the Davis Center also included panels from Mahoning Valley Dahlia Society, Audubon Society of the Mahoning Valley, the Garden District Neighborhood, Men’s Garden Club of Youngstown, zoologist and bug enthusiast Jim Smolka, artist Jim Green and author Hugh Earnhart, as well as a face painting room with Jeanne Rees and her daughters.
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Neighbors | Zack Shively.Pumpkin artist Ron Roberts of Salem had a booth set up in the Kidston Pavilion at Fellows Riverside Gardens on Oct. 15. Roberts had a booth last year as well. He placed some pumpkins on display around him and some on the path near the booth.
by ZACK SHIVELY
Mill Creek Metroparks hosted its annual Pumpkin Walk at Twilight event at Fellows Riverside Gardens on Oct. 15.
The gardens had pumpkins along the walkways and on ledges throughout the park. The park also had music, face painting and other events in the park and in the D.D. and Velma Davis Education & Visitor Center.
The park opened workshops for pumpkin carving to the public between Oct. 12-14. More than 500 people came to the workshops. This added to the collection of pumpkins the park already had for the event, which gave them a total of more than 1,500 pumpkins.
The Ford Nature Center and pumpkin artist Ron Roberts had displays in the Kidston Pavilion overlooking Lake Glacier. The Ford Nature Center had a “Creatures of the Night“ exhibit, where they showed pictures, skins and taxidermy of different animals. Roberts had a set up of some of his extremely detailed pumpkin carvings for his display.
J.D. Eicher sang and played guitar in the gazebo for the walkers. His music could be heard all along the pumpkin paths.
The park also had events inside the Davis Center. The Kravitz’s Garden Caf had cookies and hot dogs for sale and gave away free apple cider.
In the basement, they had a panel from different people and organizations. The panel included the Mahoning Valley Dahlia Society, Audubon Society of the Mahoning Valley, the Garden District Neighborhood, Men’s Garden Club of Youngstown, zoologist and bug enthusiast Jim Smolka, artist Jim Green and author Hugh Earnhart.
The two rooms in the basement also were the locations for events. Jeanne Rees and her daughters had a face painting area in one room and the other room had a place for children to decorate small pumpkins.
Mill Creek Metroparks has run the event for 12 years.
The walk has evolved over the years, including the additions of Jim Smolka four years ago and Ron Roberts two years ago.