SYCAMORE -- A parade, carnivals, craft show and costume contest will be featured today as part the final day of the 48th annual Sycamore Pumpkin Festival in the city's downtown area.
A vast array of 975 decorated pumpkins and some scarecrows have been displayed on the DeKalb County Courthouse front lawn since Wednesday.
Lynden and Carol Bute of Sycamore won the President's Award for their "Big Cahoona Safari" pumpkin artwork. Last year, they won the same award for their Hulk-like "Incredible Pumk" figure made out of 40 pumpkins.
Cody Laird of Cortland came up with the 2009 first-prize theme of "Pumpkin Safari." This year marks the first time a Cortland resident won the contest.
The parade starts at 1 p.m. today. It will travel down Somonauk, Elm, California, State and Main streets. According to festival officials, the parade will include 15 bands and 100 other entries.
Sycamore resident Marlyn Burkhart, founder of Marlyn's Majorettes and Drum Corps, is the 2009 grand marshal. Burkhart said she has marched in every parade since the Sycamore festival began.
"Originally, we would line up at Duttons' house on West State," Burkhart recalled. "There were a lot of kids in Halloween costumes. Together we would lead the parade through town down to the old high school. The parade then was local bands, kids in costumes, and floats."
Other events today will include the kiddie carnival, the teen carnival, and the Sycamore Music Boosters craft show at Sycamore High School. The festival has 30 non-profit groups as vendors. Attendees can buy food from any of the 14 food booths in the downtown area.
A free Halloween Costume Contest and Monster Bash for children ages 2 to 12 will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. at Sycamore Middle School.
The Sycamore Lions Club sponsors the pumpkin display. Members will be on hand next week to take it down.
"The fest is a fun time," said club member Jerry Schultz. "Even the cleanup is fun."
Schultz and Sycamore resident Tom Henigan sold raffle tickets this week; Henigan said the first prize for the raffle is $500. Henigan has been a club member for 53 years.
In addition to helping out at Pumpkin Fest, the club works to provide donations for glasses and hearing aids, diabetes awareness programs, Ski for Sight, scholarships, and other charitable programs. The club's total donations for 2008-09 were $15,533.
"With the economy the way it is, more people are asking for help," said club president and retired Sycamore firefighter Jim Lyon. "It's a good feeling to give back to the community."