Annual ‘Punkin’ Chunkin” Fall Festival to be held in Centre County

CENTRE COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) – The Howard Fire Company is preparing for its annual Punkin’ Chunkin’ Festival at Bald Eagle State Park on Saturday, October 19 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Every year, towards the end of October, the Howard Fire Company holds a one-day festival at the scenic Bald Eagle State Park in Howard, PA.  The festival’s main attractions are the catapults, trebuchets, and air cannons that launch pumpkins hundreds of feet through the air and send them splashing down into the nearby lake.

“Where else can you go in this whole county and beyond and actually watch an 8 to 10-pound pumpkin get hurled through the sky at breakneck speed and splash down in the lake?” Founder George Demchak said.

During the day thousands visit the park to watch the pumpkins fly but also to enjoy over 100 craft vendors and food vendors, and this year many can tour a military helicopter.

“There’s something for everybody to do and there’s no admission fee, there are no parking fees. You come with no money or you come with lots of money and spend, it’s your choice. You can come here and just enjoy the sights and not even spend a penny if you choose to do so,” Fire Police Captain Mark Ott said.

All the fun many have during the day goes back to ensuring the fire company has the tools and funds to protect the community.

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“It’s saved our lives as far as a fire company goes, there’s only so much chicken barbecues can do to bring in the money that we need to run our operations of over $150,000 a year,” Ott said.

Organizers say the community is the backbone of a successful event.

“The public supports the community that has reached out to us through sponsorships as well, to craft vendors, the food vendors, the state park, and the members of our fire company that participate. That’s my favorite part, It’s a community event,” Demchak said.

Demchak went on to say that personally he started this to have an impact on his community and sure enough the event brings nearly 15,000 guests each year while providing a quarter of the fire department’s budget.

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