ADOPT-A-PUMPKIN AND HELP LIGHT UP THE LIVES OF THE 52,000 PEOPLE AFFECTED BY AUTISM IN ILLINOIS
HIGHWOOD, IL (OCTOBER 17-19, 2014) - The Autism Society of Illinois and the City of Highwood are proud to announce the 5th Annual Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival October 17-19, 2014. This year, everyone is encouraged to Adopt-A-Pumpkin and promote the cause to help carve and light 52,000 jack-o-lanterns to be placed on pumpkin walls throughout Festival grounds. This visual experience will showcase the sheer magnitude of the 52,000 individuals impacted by Autism in Illinois.
The concept of adopting a pumpkin is simple. Using the MobileCause application via phone or computer, anyone can build a team and create a personal campaign page to try and raise the most money by "adopting" pumpkins. 100% of proceeds will go to the Autism Society of Illinois. Join the Adopt-A-Pumpkin campaign here: http://igfn.us/vf/PUMPKIN.
"We want to show people what 52,000 looks like. Whether it's people or pumpkins, it will create a lasting impression and help people visualize just how many people are affected by Autism in Illinois," states Eric Falberg, creator of Highwood Pumpkin Fest. "The added bonus is, supporters don't even have to attend the festival to Adopt-A-Pumpkin and make a difference in these individuals' lives."
The jack-o-lanterns will be placed on pumpkin walls throughout the Festival grounds, with a ceremonial wall lighting Friday and Saturday nights, and the grand lighting on Sunday evening. This years' Autism-friendly event will also have a sensory quiet area located at the Highwood Library (102 Highwood Avenue).
Aside from funds raised at the Festival and adopting a pumpkin, the public is also invited to raise money for the Autism Society of Illinois by:
• Honoring any family or friend with a customized Pumpkin Festival Autism street banner for $200 or flag for $400. The commemorative banner or flag will be given to the family to take it home after the Festival. Orders can be placed on line at www.autismillinois.org/?p=2295.
• Help Highwood businesses complete their Autism Pumpkin Puzzle by purchasing an orange or black personal puzzle piece.
Proceeds from The Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival will go to Autism Society of Illinois. There will be a $2/day admission, and $10/day unlimited kid activity wristbands good for pumpkin maze, hayride and bouncy house. The full schedule is as follows:
Friday, October 17, 4-9 pm:
4 pm- Pumpkin Fest kicks off with gourmet market with seasonal artisan food and drinks with pumpkin flare, live music, pony rides, petting zoo, pumpkin maze, hayrides, pumpkin carving, children's activities, and so much more!
4-6 pm- Trick or Treating throughout festival grounds
7:30 pm- Celebratory lighting of the pumpkin wall
Saturday, October 18, 11-9 pm:
11 am- Gourmet market with seasonal artisan food and drinks with pumpkin flare, live music, pony rides, petting zoo, hayrides, pumpkin carving, children's activities, and so much more!
7:30 pm- Celebratory lighting of the pumpkin wall
8 pm- "Light up the Night" Pumpkin Parade with a New Orleans flare. Plenty of performances, music, dancing, lights, and glowsticks to go around!
Sunday, October 19, 11-8 pm:
9 am- 5K Pumpkin Run, Walk and Kids' Dash. Costumes are strongly encouraged!
11am- Gourmet market with seasonal artisan food and drinks with pumpkin flare, live music, pony rides, petting zoo, hayrides, pumpkin carving, children's activities, and so much more!
2 pm- Pet Costume Contest
5:30 pm- Grand Lighting Ceremony begins
8:30 pm- Pumpkin Dump
Please note: As more details are secured and the music line-up announced, updates will be posted to www.highwoodpumpkinfest.com.
5K Pumpkin Run, Walk & Kids' Dash
On Sunday, October 19th at 9am, the 5K Pumpkin Run, Walk and Kids' Dash will bring some 1,000 participants to town in an effort to raise further awareness and support for Autism Society of Illinois. The course is a beautiful scenic route with mixed terrain through Highwood and Fort Sheridan. It will start in front of The Bent Fork Bakery, at Walker Avenue and Sheridan Road, go north into Fort Sheridan and loop back to the finish/start line. Costumes are strongly encouraged!
Beginning October 5th, the cost of the race will increase from $35 to $45 for Run/Walk participants and from $10 to $15 for the Kids' Dash. Online run registration will close Saturday, October 17th. Sign up here. Day of race, on-site registration will begin at 7:30am. Pre-race packet-pick up location TBA. For more information on the race, please call (630) 691-1270 or email pumpkinfes
30pm in front of the main gate. This is the easiest way to clean up the city and bring it back to normal. The Great Pumpkin Dump will help reduce overall costs and stress on the City with their responsibility to clean the city after the festival.
The perfect Fall event, The Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival was created in 2009, and has grown exponentially each year thereafter, attracting people from across the country to celebrate the season and make a day or weekend out of it!
Highwood is located just 28 miles north of Chicago, east of I-294 and Route 41 off the Half Day Road exit. Pumpkin Festival will take place in Downtown Highwood in Everts Park, the Highwood Library parking lot, along Highwood Avenue and North Avenue and Green Bay Road, from North Avenue to Highwood Avenue.
For more information on the Festival, or to sign up to be a volunteer or participate in one of the contests, please visit www.highwoodpumpkinfest.com, or call 847-432-6000. #HighwoodPumpkinFestival
About The City of Highwood
Highwood was founded in 1868 by William Wallace Everts, a Chicago civic leader and world-renown educator. His concept of a family-based community has endured for more than a century. The beautiful Everts Park, in the heart of downtown Highwood, has been named in the founder's honor. Benches and trees in the park celebrate and remember people who, through turbulent times and peaceful ones, built and sustained the community. Many of Highwood's street names recall Everts' family and friends whom the founder encouraged to build homes here. Residents of Swedish, Irish, Italian, Latino and other heritages have since populated the community, each enriching the community through their cultural traditions.
The Village of Highwood was incorporated in 1887. The name briefly became Village of Fort Sheridan and then City of Fort Sheridan. In 1904, the community officially became known as the City of Highwood. Fort Sheridan, a former army base slightly northeast of the City, has had a profound influence on Highwood's development, and it continues to do so today as part of its land, incorporated into the City, nearly doubled Highwood in size. Today, Highwood is blending the past and present with exciting new plans for its future.
The City of Highwood, IL administrative offices are located at 17 Highwood Avenue, Highwood, Illinois 60040. For more information, please visit www.cityofhighwood.com. Tel: 847.432.1924.
About the Autism Society of Illinois
The nation's leading grassroots autism organization, the Autism Society exists to improve the lives of all affected by autism. They do this by increasing public awareness about the day-to-day issues faced by people with ASD, advocating for appropriate services for individuals across the lifespan, and providing the latest information regarding treatment, education, research and advocacy. For more information, visit http://www.autismillinois.org/.