The Keene Sentinel,
To the Editor

Dear Editor,

Now that another year of the Pumpkin Festival is over and Keene has retained its title, it seems to be an appropriate time to question the entire festival’s raison d'etre. As the foremost expert in the field of Halloween, with many books, articles, radio and TV appearances, and museum loan-exhibitions stuffed into my resume I spend a considerable time, throughout the year, working on various aspects of Halloween.

For a few years now I have been calling the Keene Pumpkin Festival people and leaving messages. None have ever been returned. This year finally, after many calls, I did contact someone who informed me she was much to busy to return phone calls. I stated my credentials and volunteered to put on a slide show showing Halloween decorations and collectibles from the past hundred or so years. This is something I normally charge to do.

I was then told “absolutely not, this is a harvest festival and we are totally distancing ourselves from Halloween.” I politely informed her that a Halloween costume parade is about Halloween. That the holiday Halloween is a harvest festival and the moment you are placing a face, giving a personality, metamorphosing a pumpkin or any other vegetable or fruit into a Jack o' Lantern you are celebrating Halloween. This information, if it was not already known by them, offended said individual.

I think it is time, if the Keene Festival is to flourish and continue, which, I sincerely hope it does, for some major changes to occur. Firstly, said individual, if they find Halloween so horrific, should not be associated with the festival. Secondly, the committee or who ever is in charge should sit down and decide just what they are promoting. To have hundreds and thousands of people coming to celebrate Halloween is false advertising if this is not a Halloween festival. If it is for Thanksgiving, another wonderful holiday and harvest festival, then why not move the date into November? Or if it is for the harvest itself earlier in Oct., do away with the carved Jack O'Lanterns and and set a record for the most pumpkins in a town center. Of course, Keene might loose its place in the Guinness Book of Records, and many people won’t bother coming. Many children, and adults will be vexed or disappointed and less advertising will be done, so less work for the woman who feels she is above returning phone calls.

Halloween has for quite a few years been barraged with epitaphs which have nothing to do with it. Those who choose to dislike it for either sacred or profane reasons should, as any true American would, be tolerant and remove themselves from it’s celebration allowing others, who do love the holiday to celebrate it in a positive happy manner. I had, as many others have, felt that is what the Pumpkin festival was all about. I am very sorry to hear it is not. Therefore, it is being misrepresented to us. How very sad.

I have a positive non-competitive challenge for Keene, unlike those who desire to wrestle the Guinness record away. How about the Pumpkin festival including Halloween related events and turning the festival into the ultimate Halloween festival.

Or…For quite a few years we have been trying to find a location for the Halloween Museum. You might have seen some of our items this year when I appeared on the Martha Stewart show, or at different times on loan to museums like Strawberry Banke, Peabody Essex Institute, the Pabst Mansion, etc. The museum, which consists of 15,000 items, needs a home. The town where Castle Halloween the Museum of Halloween, The Mystical and Magical, finally locates will be on the map for all time as the Halloween capitol of the world, as this is intended as a permanent museum.

For those that are interested in seeing a small part of what this consists of check out the Schiffer Publication books written by me: “Halloween in America“ (Schneider), “Collectible Halloween,” “Halloween Collectible Decorations and Games,” “More Halloween Collectibles”, “The Tastes & Smells of Halloween” (Trick or Treat Publications). The challenge? Keene could provide a place for the museum. It would bring a tremendous amount of visitors to Keene all year long, who eat in restaurants, sleep in motels, shop in stores, etc. At present the museum is housed privately, and much of the non-vintage or folk art items are in storage. It certainly is something for Keene to think about, along with how to make the Pumpkin Festival even more inclusive and successful.