Great Pumpkin Festival Makes Crete A Hot Spot Over Weekend

CRETE - Thanks to events like the Pumpkin Blitz, Doane Tailgate and Scarecrow Competition, the Great Pumpkin Festival drew in a big crowd to Crete. The festival coincided with Doane's Homecoming, and not even the rain could keep away local students and visitors from celebrating. Executive Director of the Crete Chamber of Commerce, Kayleigh Schadwinkel, has been a part of the Great Pumpkin Festival from the very beginning. While attending Doane, she interned as the Steering Coordinator for the first Great Pumpkin Festival in 2015. "We've already been featured in the Food Network Magazine, Tractor Supply Company, in these two national publications, as well as a regional publication, Omaha Magazine. With that, within these last three years, we have morphed it into a three day celebration, and every year we're adding new events." The celebration was capped off on Sunday with activities including carnival games, live music, a pumpkin pie eating contest and the popular scarecrow contest. Schadwinkel has helped in the event's growth each year and heard people talking about it as early as the August Solar Eclipse. "Individuals were like, 'We got done with the Saline Solar Shadow, and now we're gearing up for our Crete's Great Pumpkin Festival.' Especially when individuals said our, that's what you work for, so that it's our community. We're all committed to serving our local businesses and making Crete a better place to live and do business."