Sycamore Pumpkin Festival

Published: Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012 10:55 a.m. CDT • Updated: Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012 10:57 a.m. CDT
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(Curtis Clegg - cclegg@shawmedia.com)
A record 1,146 pumpkins filled the DeKalb County Courthouse lawn at the 51st annual Sycamore Pumpkin Festival.
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(Curtis Clegg - cclegg@shawmedia.com)
A.J. Freeman of Sycamore, right, and Nathan Eagen of DeKalb were the first and second place finishers, respectively, in the Sycamore Pumpkin Run.
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(Curtis Clegg - cclegg@shawmedia.com)
Some runners participated in the Pumpkin Run in costume, like Scott DiDonna of Carpentersville.
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(Curtis Clegg - cclegg@shawmedia.com)
Thomas Kirts, 72, of DeKalb participating in the Sycamore Pumpkin Run.
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(Doug Oleson - doleson@shawmedia.com)
Owner and founder Rebecca Gengler of More Polish Potteries shows off some of her wares at the United Methodist Church Craft Show.
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(Doug Oleson - doleson@shawmedia.com)
Monica Block helps her 9-year-old daughter Jordyn set up their Dracula pumpkin on the courthouse lawn. Jordyn said it took her about four days of working after school to complete her pumpkin. "Waiting for the paint to dry took the longest," Monica said.
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(Curtis Clegg - cclegg@shawmedia.com)
Staff and volunteers from the Sycamore Public Library rode bicycles and wore top hats in honor of Wally "Mr. Pumpkin" Thurow in the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival Parade. The team won second place in the organization category.
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(Curtis Clegg - cclegg@shawmedia.com)
Jupiter Clancy, 9, of Naperville comes up for a breath after winning first place in the 6-10 age bracket of the pie eating contest.
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(Doug Oleson - doleson@shawmedia.com)
Reese McClure, 2, Sycamore shared her stroller with a pumpkin on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012.
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(Doug Oleson - doleson@shawmedia.com)
Pam Brown of DeKalb feeds her 10-month-old daughter, Caitlyn, a piece of cake at the festival kickoff ceremony.
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(Doug Oleson - doleson@shawmedia.com)
Pirate Lady Amy Shipman, left, hands out candy to eager trick or treaters in front of Stomp in downtown Sycamore.
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(Doug Oleson - doleson@shawmedia.com)
Pumpkin Festival Recording Secretary Jennifer Diehl helps Hannah Schramm cut the cake to kick off the Pumpkin Festival. Hannah, a fifth grader at St. Mary's School in Sycamore, came up with this year's theme, "Happiness is the Perfect Pumpkin." The cake was donated by Browns County Market.
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(Curtis Clegg - cclegg@shawmedia.com)
Larry Zevnik, head of adult services at Sycamore Public Library, tells a ghost story at Elmwood Cemetery in Sycamore.
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(Doug Oleson - doleson@shawmedia.com)
Kaitlyn Berntsen (left) and Emma Doering, both 10, decided to go with a superhero theme for their pumpkins and costumes, opting for Batman and the Riddler.
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(Curtis Clegg - cclegg@shawmedia.com)
Sycamore Lions Jerome Perez, left, and Ed Kuhn weigh a 248-pound pumpkin owned by Heidi Thomas of Des Plaines. The pumpkin won this year's giant pumpkin trophy.
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(Curtis Clegg - cclegg@shawmedia.com)
Larry Forsberg of Clare pulls the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival Parade's junior marshals in the parade.
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(Curtis Clegg - cclegg@shawmedia.com)
The Malmassari family's float won first place in the Neighbor/Family category in the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival Parade on Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012.
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(Curtis Clegg - cclegg@shawmedia.com)
Merri Bork of Sycamore dives into a slice of pumpkin pie in the 11-to-14-year-old division at the pie eating contest.
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(Curtis Clegg - cclegg@shawmedia.com)
Daniel Bautista's spider pumpkin won the "Pick of the Patch" award.

Winners of the Lions Club decorated pumpkin contest:

Pick of the Patch: Daniel Bautista

Presidents Award: Evans Family

School Participation
• 1st – Southeast Elementary
• 2nd – North Grove Elementary
• 3rd – St. Mary’s of Sycamore

Youth Organization or Group
• 1st – Early Childhood South Prairie
• 2nd –North Grove Elementary
• 3rd – Salem Lutheran Confirmation Program

Adult Organization or Group
• 1st – Hillcrest Covenant Church
• 2nd – Autism Awareness
• 3rd – Dorr Plumbing and Heating

Family Entry
• 1st – Laura, Briana, Emily, Evan, Ella
• 2nd – Dave and Roberta Aldis
• 3rd – Emma Winters

Adults (Carved, Scarecrow, General)
• 1st – Carol and Lynden Bute
• 2nd – Joel Peck
• 3rd – David and Chad Carrington

Theme (Happiness is the Perfect Pumpkin)

5 & Under:
• 1st – Jack Boryc
• 2nd – Aden Schultz
• 3rd – Hayden Fant

6-7 Years:
• 1st – Madyson Block
• 2nd – Rebecca Allen
• 3rd – Adyson Hull

8-9 Years:
• 1st – Oliver Keicher
• 2nd – Jordyn Block
• 3rd – Charlotte Sharp

10-11 Years:
• 1st – Jacob Nations
• 2nd – Travis Evans
• 3rd – Max Griffey

12-17 Years:
• 1st – Miranda Blankenbehler
• 2nd – Anna Gosciejew
• 3rd – Roan Findley

Happy and Fancy

5 & Under:
• 1st – Addison McLaughlin
• 2nd – Rachel Grehn
• 3rd – Aubrey Burke

6-7 Years:
• 1st – Bella Caputo
• 2nd – Colleen Simpson
• 3rd – Hailey Loyd

8-9 Years:
• 1st – Abi Payne
• 2nd – Molly Griffey
• 3rd – Jaden Peck

10-11 Years:
• 1st – Charlotte Sylvia
• 2nd – Maddie Weaver
• 3rd – Tessa Harbecke

12-17 Years:
• 1st – Jenna Lewey and Ellie Kerkove
• 2nd – Emily Dunbar
• 3rd – Morgan Olson

Weird, Ugly & Scary

5 & Under:
• 1st – Peter Gehrig
• 2nd – Michael Olson
• 3rd – Alexis Rothembach

6-7 Years:
• 1st – Lucas Windurn
• 2nd – Ryese Taylor
• 3rd – Trace Cook

8-9 Years:
• 1st – Joseph Brestan
• 2nd – Jacob Hull
• 3rd – Hayden Beck

10-11 Years:
• 1st – Abby Krull
• 2nd – Andrew Russo
• 3rd – Keegan Palm

12-17 Years:
• 1st – Jeffrey Maness
• 2nd – Jason Maness
• 3rd – Grace Clark

TV, Nursery Rhyme

5 & Under:
• 1st – Zach Ziegler
• 2nd – Maddux McLaughlin
• 3rd – Grace Hagemeyer

6-7 Years:
• 1st – Sam Krull
• 2nd – Johnny Jarrett
• 3rd – Addison Peck

8-9 Years:
• 1st – Genna Gower
• 2nd – Brody Armstrong
• 3rd – Irish McCoy

10-11 Years:
• 1st – Griffin Gower
• 2nd – Madeline McCormick
• 3rd – Nolan Benson

12-17 Years:
• 1st – Kortney Jones
• 2nd – McKenzie Palm
• 3rd – Mathew Madsen

Carved

7 & Under:
• 1st – Danny Young
• 2nd – Terron Begay
• 3rd – Brady Horan

8-9 Years:
• 1st – Jeremy Peterson
• 2nd – Andrea Foulk
• 3rd – Emmy Kuhn

10-11 Years:
• 1st – Kate Heegaard
• 2nd – Ethan Gall
• 3rd – Noelan Garbes

12-17 Years:
• 1st – Dana Nielsen
• 2nd – Reed Kousoulas
• 3rd – Tallon Grewe

Scarecrow

11 & Under:
• 1st – Zayne Adams
• 2nd – John, Jack, Dylan and Kalob
• 3rd – Zak Geraci

12-17 Years:
• 1st – Neriah Garbes
• 2nd – Grace Carlson
• 3rd – Health Occupations II, Second Session

There were 1,146 entries in this year's contest.

Winners of the Sycamore Kiwanis pumpkin pie eating contest:

6-10 Years:
• 1st – Jupiter Clancy
• 2nd – Micah Kurtzman
• 3rd – Breegan Billings
• 4th – Zane Martinez
• 5th – Brynn Meredith

11-15 Years:
• 1st – Gray Quimby
• 2nd – Jonathon Kurtzman
• 3rd – Kenny Brown
• 4th – Jake Anderson

16 & older:
• 1st – DJ Kurtzman
• 2nd – Bridget Coghlin McMillion
• 3rd – Robert McMiller
• 4th – Greg Bulwicki
• 5th – Carol Brown

There were more than 50 competitors in this year's contest. Pies were provided by Brown's County Market.

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