Fourth annual Orange pumpkin fest set for weekend

Kids will be able to get free pumpkins in a variety of colors, sizes, and shapes Sunday afternoon at the end of Orangetober.

The city of Orange's annual fall celebration will begin Friday evening and continue into Saturday at the Riverside Pavilion by the Boat Ramp off Simmons Drive.

It's become a tradition after the festival for people to get more than 10,000 pumpkins set up to decorate the pavilion area. The decorative and colorful displays have become a popular place to take family photographs.

Sunday at 1:30 p.m., kids will have a pumpkin scramble to get the pumpkins they can carry. Adults will be allowed at 2 p.m.

The main festival will open Friday evening. Admission and parking are free. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs to use for relaxing and listening to live music. No outside food or coolers will be allowed. Pets are also not allowed.

Gates will open again on Saturday morning and activities will continue into the night.

"The Orangetober Festival is sure to provide fun for the entire family with a great variety of events, activities, and photo opportunities! Festival goers can enjoy tours of the Pumpkin Village with over 10,000 pumpkins, a vendor market, gumbo cook-off, pumpkin pie eating contest, cornhole tournament, movie night featuring "Coco," The Big Pumpkin Run 5k, food vendors, craft beer, frozen sangria from Free State Cellars, and live entertainment on the Riverside Pavilion stage by PaperChase, Drew Parker, and headliner Wade Bowen," according to Alison Clary, the city's social media director.

For more information, contact the Orange Convention and Visitors Bureau at 409-883-1011, or City Hall at 409-886-3611.