The Lawn on D in South Boston kicked off its Punkin’ Fest Saturday, turning the public spectacle into a full-fledged harvest festival complete with pumpkin patches, sack races and fall-flavored treats. The Lawn on D brought in approximately 500 pumpkins, which were provided free of charge to the public.
“We learned from last year and now we’re [making it] bigger and better,” said Ed Slapik, the festival’s producer. “We essentially doubled everything from last year, spending three times the amount of time on the programming and thinking behind this event.”
The Lawn on D partnered with the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority and event design company Mission Six to put on this annual spectacle.
“Everything from production designers to local lighting designers, special effects teams, structural engineers, there are … over 60 to 70 people who have had a hand in this event,” Slapik said.
Creating the sights and sounds of Punkin’ Fest included designing features that would delight any spectator, but the centerpiece of the event was the “Punkin’ Manor,” a community art project designed by Mission Six. Participants were encouraged to carve pumpkins with their own designs and add them to the 272-pumpkin structure that later turned into a light show at dusk.
“We wanted an event where people could contribute to something bigger than themselves,” Slapik said. “We can’t do this whole ‘Manor’ showpiece without the community’s help … Our team has done the programming and designing and the only missing piece is the pumpkins to add to it.”
The light show featured special effects, Halloween-themed music and individually controlled pumpkins lit up for all of Boston to see.
“Our goal was to build upon the success of last year,” said Bianca Mauro, production designer for the event. “Using the community’s pumpkins, it adds an extra layer, making [the art] the center and star.”
The goal of the “Manor” was for community members to be proud of and confident in their designs, Mauro said. With repeated showings on Sunday and Monday night, artists were able to see their work come to life multiple times throughout the long weekend.
“We’ll go home after feeling so fulfilled and come back and do it again,” Mauro said.
Punkin’ Fest was tailored for anyone aged “1 to 100,” Slapik said. It featured a 500-pound, hand-carved pumpkin, face painters and a food truck mecca catered to those with a sweet tooth. The family friendly event concluded with the “Manor” turning into a full-blown light show, playing every half hour from sunset until closing.
Punkin’ Fest also caught the attention of communities extending beyond the Lawn on D’s home in South Boston.
“I know people are driving long distances for this and it’s a representation from every neighborhood in Boston,” Slapik said.
The project was a way for Boston’s community to see their work come alive. As a whole, the “Manor” represented the purpose of the Lawn on D — a place to welcome and entertain local and new Bostonians.
Punkin’ Fest also marked the finale of the Lawn on D. Following the final showing of the “Manor” Monday, the Lawn on D closed for the rest of the year. However, Lawrence resident Elkinia Cabrera said that she and her 11-year-old daughter Gennaviere are already excited for next year’s Punkin’ Fest.
“The mouth is my favorite part,” Gennaviere said, commenting on her carved pumpkin.
Overall, Punkin’ Fest was a place for residents to explore Boston while getting to know the community around them. And the “Manor” was more than an art project — it was a way for families to light up Boston as a diverse, beautiful and festive city.
“The best part is seeing children’s faces light up,” Mauro said. “They have some ownership over the art.”
