Shelburne PumpkinFest draws Nearly 1,000 people for fall fun

Written By JOSHUA DRAKES

LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

Shelburne's fourth annual PumpkinFest drew close to 1,000 people to Natasha Paterson Memorial Park on Oct. 3, as families from across Dufferin County and beyond gathered for a day of fall activities, entertainment and community fun.

Hosted by the Shelburne Rotary Club, this year's event built on the success of its first three years while introducing several changes based on feedback from previous attendees.

The sunny fall day featured a wide range of activities for visitors of different ages, including games, inflatable attractions, bumper cars, photo opportunities, music, a magician, dance presentations, food and a vendor market.

Among the additions this year were inflatable bumper cars and performances by Lio and the Strays, providing more activities geared toward older children and adults while helping make PumpkinFest a more well-rounded, multigenerational event.

The event has continued to grow over the years into a popular annual gathering for the Shelburne community, bringing together families and residents for an afternoon of entertainment and activities in the park.

PumpkinFest was held alongside the Rotary Club's annual fall food drive, which took place earlier in the day. The food drive is jointly organized by the Shelburne Rotary Club and students at Centre Dufferin District High School, with students distributing collection bags to households throughout town earlier in the week.

Rotarians and volunteers collected the filled bags from residents' porches on the morning of Oct. 3, with additional donations collected at PumpkinFest later in the day.

In total, more than 2,200 pounds of food and household necessities were collected for the Shelburne Food Bank.

The Rotary Club credited the event's success to the work of its many sponsors, donors, supporters and volunteers, as well as the residents who attended and contributed to the day.

With this year's event now wrapped up, the Rotary Club is already looking ahead to the return of both PumpkinFest and the fall food drive in 2027.