Pumpkin Fun and Local Flavor Shine at Middletown History Center

Jaquelyn Carlo | SUNY Institute for Local News

MARGARETVILLE – It was “All Things Pumpkin!” in Margaretville this past Sunday. That was the name the Historical Society of Middletown gave to their inaugural autumnal event held at the Middletown History Center on October 19. A welcoming crowd of community members gathered on the sunny, unseasonably warm afternoon for a series of pumpkin-themed events: kids pumpkin painting, trivia, and even a pumpkin seed spitting contest. There was also a bake-off and a charity auction. We have a student’s perspective to join with that of our own Iris Mead, who played a major role in organizing the fun event.

The mid-afternoon festivities began with pumpkins set out in the middle of the room and children giddily decorating their gourds. Different colored paints and ornamentation like plastic eyeballs were placed all over the pumpkins. Some of the children’s faces got a makeover, too. 

Free food was on offer as well. Pumpkin soup was served from a table in the back corner of the historical society building. There was also apple cider and plentiful plates of desserts for everyone. 

A highlight of the fall celebration was a pumpkin seed spitting contest. A tarp was laid out on the grass and a mixture of children and adults flanked out behind a line, stuffed their mouths with pumpkin seeds, then spit out the seeds as far as they could. The crowd quickly discovered how hard it is to locate individual pumpkin seeds. Some seeds missed the tarp entirely or fell short and landed in the grass. The seeds were hard to spot, and even harder to trace back to their respective spitter. In the end, Diana Greiner of Halcottsville was declared the pumpkin seed spitting contest winner. 

Two tables were packed full with pumpkin bread and cookies competing in the bake-off. Around 2:15pm, a pair of judges taste-tested the competitive baked goods. Half an hour later, the winners were announced: Evie Marks of Margaretville won in the pumpkin cookies category, while Sharon Suess of Halcottsville won the category for pumpkin bread. The pair of local bakers both won gift certificates to The Kitchen Cheetah home goods shop in Margaretville. 

A silent basket auction fundraiser was also a part of the events held inside the Middletown History Center. A collection of eight hand-crafted baskets made by Karl Amor were bid on. The Estonia-born folk artist lived in nearby Dunraven, and his baskets have become highly sought-after collectibles since his passing in 1992. Amor’s work has been on display in the history center this season, alongside metal art by Joseph Schoell.

Around 3:45pm the winners were announced for each of the eight baskets. The silent auction raised $2,000 for the HSM.

The Middletown Historical Society, located at 778 Cemetery Road in Margaretville, is open to the public from late spring through fall. This year the organization is celebrating its 150th anniversary. 

“This was the first time we’ve ever done this,” organizer Diane Galusha said about the pumpkin event. 

There are Oktoberfests and harvest festivals happening all around the Catskills during the fall season. “All Things Pumpkin!” stood out for its small town humbleness and hospitality. The HSM will host its last public event in November before closing for the winter and opening back up again in May. 

This story was created by student reporters through the OnNY Community Media Service, a program of SUNY Oneonta and the SUNY Institute for Local News.