Seasonal Magic

There is magic hiding all around you this fall. This season, numerous festivals around the metro are giving families new reasons to welcome the soft oranges and embrace the cool temps of the Oklahoma wind. Shower off the summer drought and drench yourself in these fun activities this fall.

Pumpkinville Oct 7-23

Impossible things are happening every day! Just ask the magical beings of Pumpkinville. For weeks leading up to the festival, volunteers of Pumpkinville dream up large-scale displays all in hopes of adding surprise and awe to families at the Myriad Botanical Gardens.

“Pumpkinville is unique to other fall festivals because we try to bring the farm to the city,” Public Events Coordinator Ashley Elkins said. “We also try to create a cohesive theme for our festivals with lots of interactive and educational activities.”

A small country pumpkin can truly transform into something magical. This year, the committee behind Pumpkinville will reveal the magic hiding in over 16,000 pumpkins. “We are going to transform the Children’s Garden into a woodland fairytale town,” Elkins said. “Visitors should expect to see some of their favorite fairytales brought to life with pumpkins. Cinderella, Rapunzel, The Three Little Pigs and other classics will have a spot in this fairytale town.”

It takes more than just a Fairy Godmother to bring the story of Pumpkinville to life. “The Myriad Gardens staff has a committee that begins brainstorming and working on this event beginning in late June,” Elkins said. “After we’ve chosen a theme, we take our ideas to local artists such as Nick Bayer and Joe Slack. They create projects and sketches from our ideas and this inspires our staff to come up with even more ideas.”

There are more than just sparkles and fairy dust at Pumpkinville this year. The festival also offers educational programs for everyone in the family.

“Our mission at the Myriad Gardens is to activate the gardens, to create a fun space for the community to enjoy and to provide horticulture educational programs,” Elkins said. “Pumpkinville tries to really capitalize on the educational elements of where pumpkins, corn stalks, and other items come from and how they can be used in our everyday lives. Not just for fun decorative elements.”

Visit www.oklahomacitybotanicalgardens.com for more info.

EdFest Oct 14

There is real life magic hiding in the extraordinary people of EdFest. This fall, EdFest will celebrate five years of giving back to Edmond community. EdFest mixes festival fun with the importance of donating to a worthwhile cause. “The most unique thing about EdFest is its purpose of supporting Edmond Mobile Meals,” Executive Director of Edmond Mobile Meals Cristi Twenter said. “Not only can attendees enjoy a fun, family-friendly street festival, but they can know that the money spent at the event goes to providing nutritious meals and a daily wellness check to the homebound elderly and disabled right here in the Edmond community.”

Edmond Mobile Meals has been serving community members in need since 1974. The mission of the organization is to provide healthy, nutritious meals to elderly and disabled community members. One hundred percent of donations received from EdFest will benefit the organization’s participants.

“In 2015, we delivered over 50,000 meals to the homebound in Edmond,” Twenter said. “The need for our service has grown 10 percent in the last year. It is paramount that funding increases to keep pace with this demand. Since last year’s event, Edmond Mobile Meals has added over 200 new clients. Funds raised from EdFest in 2015 paid for approximately 6,000 meals for those clients who are unable to contribute for their meals.”

Beyond supporting a great cause, EdFesters should prepare themselves for a good time at the Festival Marketplace in Downtown Edmond. Confirmed food trucks include Flying Pig BBQ, The Saucee Sicilian, 2 Brothers Bistro and a host of other mobile eateries. “Attendees can look forward to delicious local food trucks, local breweries, a raffle of items and services from local businesses, a Kidzone and live music from local band Souled Out courtesy of Main Stage Sponsor John Vance Auto Group,” Twenter said.

For ticket information, visit www.edfestokc.com.

Downtown Edmond Old Fashioned Festival Oct 29

The classic Downtown Edmond Old Fashioned Festival captures the family aesthetic of Edmond with the comforts of fall. The Downtown Old Fashioned Festival is all about keeping it local and celebrating connections within the community. The annual event is sponsored by The Downtown Edmond Business Association and is hosted at the Festival Marketplace. The association truly drives home the great sense of community for which Edmond is known.

“We get together local organizations to provide free games, activities and candy for families,” said Event Coordinator Elena Listen. “It is a family friendly event where kids can wear costumes and have a free, fun, fall activity on a Saturday afternoon.”

Attendees can expect tons of games and candy. The Downtown Edmond Old Fashioned Festival is also supporting a worthwhile cause in Edmond. “We are taking monetary donations for the Edmond Historic Preservation Trust,” Listen said. “Any donations we collect will go to the programming and upkeep of the 1889 Territorial Schoolhouse, planning and implementing historical tours, and replacing historical plaques in Downtown Edmond.”

Learn more at www.downtownedmondok.com.