Giant pumpkin to take centre stage in town's Halloween celebrations
A giant Halloween centrepiece is on the way to the county as part of the spooky celebrations.
Shrewsbury will be hosting a massive pumpkin, almost as tall as the Old Market Hall in The Square.
The huge inflatable is being billed as the “largest pumpkin ever seen in Shropshire” and will mark the start of a pumpkin trail around the town centre.
Emma Molyneux, of Shrewsbury BID, said: “We were keen to do something a bit different for Halloween this year, and wanted to create a spectacle which people would remember.
“We think it has got to be the largest pumpkin ever seen in Shropshire, and it’s an amazing photo opportunity right in the heart of The Square – it’s about the same size as the Old Market Hall itself and is certainly an impressive sight.
“Look out for our witches who will be caring for the pumpkin and performing some well-known dramatic scenes to entertain people over the weekend.”
The giant pumpkin will be complemented by a pumpkin trail around the town centre on Sunday, October 30, from 12pm to 4pm.
Children and their families are being invited to follow the trail, meeting spooky characters along the way and raising money for good causes.
The aim is to raise breast cancer awareness, encouraging women to “check their pumpkins”, with proceeds being shared between the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) and charity cancer Make2ndsCount.
The trail is being co-ordinated by Hickory’s Smokehouse and local breast cancer campaigner, Sally Jamieson, who has raised more than £10,000 for breast care at Shropshire hospitals since being diagnosed in 2016.
Charlotte Mulloy, deputy general manager at Hickory’s, said: “I love coordinating events within the town or restaurant as it helps bring the community together for either a good cause or general laughter and fun.
“We are really looking forward to the pumpkin trail and hope plenty of people come along to get involved.”
Breast Cancer Awareness Month runs from October 1 to 31 and the trail aims to raise awareness about early detection, as well as raising vital funds.
Tickets for the pumpkin trail can be obtained at https://www.collectionpot.com/pot/3035957/
To find out more about Sally’s fundraising or to make a donation, visit facebook.com/sallypearlfundraising
