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18th Annual Pumpkin Harvest at IPE grounds Saturday

Thanksgiving weekend continues Monday with the Thanksgiving Day Harvest Fest.

From music to pumpkins to alpacas, the IPE grounds was the place to be on Thanksgiving weekend.

The weekend kicked off Saturday with the 18th Annual Harvest Pumpkin Festival in Armstrong.

Activities started at 9 with a pancake breakfast that benefitted the Armstrong food bank and pop-up Artisans market began shortly after. There were plenty of activities for the whole family including face painting, a petting zoo and mini catapult building. But, the staple event was the great pumpkin catapult.

Related: Vernon Farmer’s Market welcomes Thanksgiving harvest

Related: Armstrong Spallumcheen pumpkin fest events launched

“This event has been going on for 18 years,” said Patti Noonan, event organizer and executive director of the Armstrong Chamber of Commerce. “This year we have two teams competing in the pumpkin launch — some year’s we’ve had as many as six teams. It’s our big event and everyone watches it but how many teams sign up really gets down to what people are doing for the Thanksgiving weekend.”

Noonan said the event, which was held in conjunction with the farmer’s market saw an average of 500 to 600 people.

Two teams competed in the pumpkin launch this year but Noonan said that they hope to have more teams compete in future years. Organizers are considering running a workshop to teach people how to make Trebuchets — a type of launcher — so more people can participate rather than watch.

The Harvest Festival is held every thanksgiving on the IPE grounds in Armstrong. But, if you missed it don’t worry, there’s always next year.

Related: The Interior Provincial Exhibition kicks off in Armstrong

Related: Armstrong searches for harvest scarecrows

Related: IPE numbers dip from record year

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The annual festival kicked off Saturday morning at the IPE grounds in Armstrong. (Brieanna Charlebois/ Morning Star)
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Two teams competed this year in the much anticipated pumpkin launch. (Brieanna Charlebois/ Morning Star)
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Teams aimed their pumpkins for these targets. (Brieanna Charlebois/ Morning Star)
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Anna Hodge, 8, won the “Great Pumpkin Weigh in” for growing the largest pumpkin at this year’s Harvest Fest. (Brieanna Charlebois/ Morning Star)