The Beginning: 1991

The Pumpkin Festival began in 1991 as a way to bring revenue into Keene’s struggling downtown.

It was originally called the “Keene Harvest Moon Festival” and was put together by Nancy Sporborg and the downtown businesses. Keene’s economy had been struggling ever since it became a post industrial town after most of the job supplying and money making factories had closed down.[1]

Dave Cavoli. The Equinox. October 30, 1991

The headline “Students arrested on roofs building: 7 charged with alcohol possession” is found on the same page talking about the first ever Pumpkin Festival in 1991. While the early years of the pumpkin festival focused on community this headline shows that even from the very first Pumpkin Festival there was an issue with arrests and partying.

[1] “HISTORY.” Official Site of Pumpkin Festival 2011-2017 organizers, www.pumpkinfestival.org/index.php/history/.