The Pelham Children’s Center hosted its Annual Pumpkin Festival on Oct. 19, bringing families together on Fifth Avenue in Gazebo Park for a day filled with music and community spirit. Attendees participated in a  pie-eating contest and engaged in various activities fit for all ages.

Todd Kerman, a sophomore at Pelham Memorial High school, was a fan of the traditional book sale. “There’s always a lot of great books here,” said Kerman said. “Even if they’re timeless, they’re still good to have. My dad and I always love coming here. The center’s always had a dedication to fostering a love of reading and education among families, and this just reinforces it.”

The festival serves as the center’s largest fundraiser of the year.

Rytas Stankunas, an employee helping at the festival, remembered last year’s challenge. “It was down pouring. But we had such strong support from the community,” Stankunas said. “People were here looking to support us.”

This year’s weather was much more favorable and many community members came to support the center.

Greg Spock, a member of the PCC board, said, “I’ve been on the board here for three years, and this is such an incredible organization. I helped plan our gala, which commemorated the founding in 1971. It’s a fantastic community organization that brings families and kids together.”

Volunteers from PMHS came to help setup on Oct 18, doing general organization and planning for the next day.