Chamber to Kick Off 5th Pumpkin Festival

It’s that time again in Calabasas, the land of pumpkins.

With the arrival of autumn, the Calabasas Chamber of Commerce will once again raise “Punkie,” the 30-foot Giant Pumpkin, a symbol of the Calabasas Days Pumpkin Festival.

The chamber, along with the city, will hold a kickoff event for the festival beginning 11:30 a.m. Thursday with a luncheon at the Calabasas Inn, 23500 Park Sorrento.

Festival coordinators will preview the events to come, including a seed-spitting contest, pumpkin-pie eating and pumpkin bowling. Admission is $15 for chamber members or $20 for all at the door.

Later that day, a mixer will be held at Acura 101 West, 24650 Calabasas Road, from 5:50 to 7:30 p.m.

Mayor Bob Hill is scheduled to flip the switch that will illuminate “Punkie” for 30 days.

The events are a prelude to several others to be held in the week before the fifth annual festival, including a parade and a pumpkin weigh-in.

The festival itself will be held at Paramount Ranch this year, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 19 and 20.

It offers four stages of entertainment, crafts booths, pet adoption, a Native American village and the Pioneer Living Experience.

For more information, call (818) 225-2227.