Calabasas Pumpkin Festival expands to two days this year
By Joann Groff joann@theacorn.com

FACE OFF- Hungry participants take part in last year's Calabasas Pumpkin Festival pie eating contest. The Pumpkin Festival will take place this weekend, Sat. and Sun., Oct. 20 and 21 at Juan Bautista de Anza Park in Calabasas. For more information, visit www .calabasaspumpkinfestival.com.

For the first time, Calabasas residents can enjoy the city's Pumpkin Festival all weekend long. Because of the popularity of the 35yearold event, organizers decided to expand the fest to both Saturday and Sunday.

The Pumpkin Festival, put on by the Calabasas Chamber of Commerce, the city and the Calabasas Arts Council, kicks off Sat., Oct. 20.

"We expanded the festival to two days to make sure that active families with children in sports and enrichment classes didn't miss the event because of class and game practice," said Chamber President Carol Washburn. "By expanding it to two days, everyone can participate, and if they choose, return for a second day of fun.

"In addition, for the tremendous time and effort to build such an extravaganza, it will be more cost effective to run the show for the entire weekend."

The familyoriented fall festival will feature carnival games, arts and crafts, live entertainment and a fun zone with inflatable rides. The event is also home to a car show, a petting zoo and lots of food and beverage vendors, including a beer garden.

Rides, like Zoon Go-Karts, range in price from 50 cents to $1. Washburn said the go-karts are back by popular demand, and another race track has been added to double the fun.

However, organizers say the highlight is surely the wide variety of pumpkin activities, including a pumpkin patch, pumpkin pie eating, pumpkin painting and pumpkin seed spitting.

An estimated 10,000 children and adults from Los Angeles and Ventura counties are expected to enjoy the festival.

The festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days at Juan Bautista de Anza Park, 3701 Lost Hills Road in Calabasas.

Admission and parking are free, and a shuttle service is provided all day.

For information, visit www. calabasaspumpkinfestival.com.