Carving up Halloween
Monday night, the Elk Ridge Park parking lot was so full that people had begun to park their vehicles on the grass. Young and old jostled about – their breath visible in the cold air. Feet tromped across the soggy hay-strewn grass toward the park itself, where more than 100,000 jack-o’-lanterns were aglow for the final night of the annual North Logan Pumpkin Walk.
The first Pumpkin Walk was held 21 years ago and was originally started by Ida and Wally Beutler. The Beutlers hosted the event on their farm as a fun way to celebrate Halloween with the local community. Over the years the tradition grew and the five-day event is now funded by the city, has moved to Elk Ridge Park on 1100 E. 2500 North in North Logan and is run by various volunteers.
This year’s Pumpkin Walk ran Oct. 21-25.
Every year, 1,000-2,000 pumpkin seeds are planted and grown specifically for the event. After the pumpkins are harvested, they are distributed to grade school classes, church groups, individuals or local businesses so they can be carved or made into scenes.
Books, movies and the imaginations of Logan residents inspire scenes for the Pumpkin Walk. This year, taking the phrase “Once upon a vine” as their theme, pumpkins were carved, painted and stacked to portray scenes found in Harry Potter, The Giving Tree, Wild Things, Shrek, Clifford the Big Red Dog and many more.
“The Pumpkin Walk was a great experience,” said Lee Cannon, a freshmen majoring in music therapy. “I took my 2-year-old nephew and he absolutely loved it.”
Many levels of carving ability were displayed at the event. One exhibit featured pumpkins that had been intricately carved to look like various Disney characters. People of all ages seemed to enjoy the pumpkin art as well as the free cookies that accompanied the evening.
“The Pumpkin Walk is run strictly by the spirit of volunteerism and good will,” co-chair Mary Ellen Mckenna said when asked if they ever held any competitions or contests. “It started as just a fun thing to do, and that’s the way we intend to keep it.”
Every year the Pumpkin Walk attracts 40,000-60,000 people from all over Utah, Idaho and Wyoming.
“Every Fall I get calls from Utah State graduates who want to know when the Pumpkin Walk is so they can come see it. College students will go every year and it just becomes a part of their lives, a tradition they can’t give up even after they no longer live in Logan,” said Beutler.
This year’s celebration proved to be bittersweet because it was accompanied by the death of founder Ida Beutler.
“I went to the Pumpkin Walk on Friday night and all the workers were really sad and crying. It was still really good, but it was more of a solemn experience,” said Darliece Nye, a sophomore majoring in biology.
Ida Beutler had designed the final scene on the Pumpkin Walk path and was able to celebrate the opening of the event’s 21st season. She passed away Friday and a plaque was placed on her display in her memory. Her husband Wally, passed away two years earlier.
“We are all very sad, but what greater honor could we give the Beutlers than to continue their tradition,” Mckenna said. “I couldn’t think of a better way for her to go than during the Pumpkin Walk. May the spirit of the Pumpkin Walk live on.”
-Amcconkie@cc.usu.edu
Pumpkins disguised as President George W. Bush and Sen. John Kerry fight over an American flag at the Pumpkin Walk at Elk Ridge Park in North Logan. (Photo by Becky Blankenship)