by Geoff Fox
Hancock Parks and Recreation Board is looking to partner with another group for a fall festival later this year and have replacement banners for the popular veteran banners between November and May.
Councilman Tim Boyer said the Parks and Recreation Board was looking to put on a fall festival and pumpkin race in September.
“I kind of stumbled on this by accident,” Boyer said. “Could be exciting for us.”
The dates for the event would be September 28 as the main date and October 5 as the rain date. Both dates would be before the Apple Butter Festival in Berkeley Springs.
Boyer said the pumpkin race might sound strange, but it would be something for the kids in the community.
He also printed out a packet of a similar festival from Montgomery Village.
Boyer described the pumpkin race as similar to a derby race except using decorated pumpkins. There would be prizes for most creative, scariest, or “different things.”
“We’re working out the details on that,” he said.
To go along with the pumpkin derby race, Boyer said the Parks and Rec Board is also looking at having a fall festival along Main Street between Buddy Lou’s and the bike shop, however he said they’re not 100% sure where to have it.
The goal would be to get some exposure for Main Street and have vendors there. There would also be things to do along the canal.
Boyer said one of the side streets between Main Street and Canal Street would be used for the pumpkin races.
This summer, there are plans to build a watermelon test “car” to see what is needed for the elevation and other things.
Councilman Leo Murray said it would either be Taney Street or a ramp built to see which goes further.
Councilman Roland Lanehart, Jr. said there is a town in Pennsylvania that does something similar with pumpkins, only they don’t attach wheels to the pumpkins. Instead they just write names on the pumpkin and whichever one goes furthest wins.
Councilman Tim Smith told Boyer Hancock in Motion was planning something for October 14.
Hancock in Motion could partner with the Parks and Rec Board to sponsor the event.
Salvagno mentioned people had wanted an event in the fall again after the Lions Club ended Canal Apple Days a couple years ago.
“I think this is really a great idea,” Salvagno said about the possible festival and pumpkin race.
Banners in the park
The poles in Widmeyer Park hang empty during the winter and early spring months, but there could be year-round town-themed banners if the town decides to purchase.
When the banners for the veterans came down in November, there was talk about the poles in Widmeyer Park being empty during the winter and early spring months before Memorial Day.
Murray said he’s been looking around to see what he could come up with for banners and the ones he found were about $56 a banner. He said they would need at least 50 banners or just around the library.
He brought some samples to the town meeting with him with had a pine tree covered in snow on a dark blue background with “Town of Hancock” written on it.
“This could be ‘Welcome to Hancock, Widmeyer Park, Veterans Way,’ it could be anything,” Murray said. “It doesn’t have to be this, this is just an idea.”
Murray said right now, there is no more space left along either street for more veteran banners, but there is a plan in place for more if they are ordered.
Half the banners will be displayed from April through July covering Memorial Day and the second half would be displayed August through November covering Veterans Day.
By doing this, Murray said, more orders could be taken because “there’s a lot of veterans in the area still asking for banners.”
No more poles would be installed, he said.
