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Camp Sunshine Pumpkin Festival at LL Bean

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Dates:	Saturday, October 26, 2013
Hours:	noon-8pm
Ages:	Infants, Toddlers, Kids, Teens, Adults
In/Outdoor:	Outdoor
Cost:	Free
Category:	Fairs & Festivals

camp sunshine pumpkin festival at ll bean photo

Come join us for the spook-tacular Camp Sunshine Pumpkin Festival at L.L. Bean in Freeport, ME !

There will be pumpkin carving, face painting, gourd bowling, good tunes and plenty of games and fun for all! In the evening come view the spectacular pumpkin lighting of over 5,000 jack-o-lanterns.

It's sure to be a gourd time!

View Festival Schedule

About Camp Sunshine
Camp Sunshine is a national retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. The unique program blends recreation, counseling, workshops, and 24-hour on-site medical support. There is no charge to participating families.

In 2003, Camp Sunshine (with former partner Life is good) introduced Portland to this one-of-a-kind event. In 2004, the event headed south to Boston and after several years Camp Sunshine finally broke the record formerly held by Keene, New Hampshire. In 2006, we amassed 30,128 jack-o-lanterns on the Boston Common, had over 100,000 spectators and raised more than $250,000 to send more ill children and their families to Camp Sunshine.

WEBSITE

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www.campsunshine.org/pumpkinfestival/portland_home.html

LOCATION

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Maine

Driving From the South: Take the Maine Turnpike North to Exit 44. Take I-295 N to Exit 7 (Franklin Street). Stay on Franklin and take a right at the 4th light onto Congress Street. Follow Congress to the 3rd traffic light- turn left on the unmarked street that runs between the Key Bank branch and Monument Square. Bear right into One City Center Parking Garage.

Driving From the North: Use I-95 South to Exit 7 (Franklin Street). Stay on Franklin and take a right at the 4th light onto Congress Street. Follow Congress to the 3rd traffic light- turn left on the unmarked street that runs between the Key Bank branch and Monument Square. Bear right into One City Center Parking Garage.

Directions from the West : Route 302 S to Forest Avenue. Stay on Forest Acenue and take left onto Congress Street. Take a right at the 4th traffic light onto the unmarked street that runs between the Key Bank branch and Monument Square. Bear right into One City Center Parking Garage

REVIEWS

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Boston Pumpkin Festival

As a visitor from Philadelphia, all I can say is WOW! We just happened to have dinner reservations at Union Oyster House and happened upon this wonderful event for the best holiday of the year. It was breath-taking and as an adult was easily able to slip back to the days when selecting the best pumpkin for carving was a day long event. Consider it a gift that your fair city has a free event of this magnitude, regardless of where it is held.

Why The Change

This event used to be held at the Common. Our first year in Boston I took the kids and my son had a great time despite the rain (the baby was too young). Now it is held at City Hall Plaza with all of the brick walk ways. While I did not attend this year, I talked to someone who did. Her response was that it wasn't bad but had limit event abilities (the sack race) because of the brick. They also no longer had the hay slide. I think the Common is a much better place to have such an event.

Sad Pastiche Of The Original

While it raises money for a good cause Boston's pumpkin festival is a sad pastiche of the original Pumpkin Festival of Keene, NH. Boston fails to capture the quintessential New England spirit that the Keene festival captures. The Keene festival takes place on the town's idyllic broad main street. Crowds are flanked by local storefronts, a beautifully restored town theater, and a towering white church steeple at the end of the town square. Boston has only the cracked plaza of City Hall - no relevance to location or history, no point of reference other than a corporate sponsor and a copycat set up...right down to the shape and scale of the scaffolding. Do your kids a favor and bring them to the real thing in Keene - the pumpkin woopie pies can't be beat.