Gartenschau holds ‘Wild West’ pumpkin festival

The Gartenschau Kaiserslautern is still decked out in the colors of late summer even though its next seasonal event is on its way.

This year’s pumpkin festival, under the motto “Wild West,” will be set up in the Neumühlepark area from Sunday through Oct. 31. The pumpkin festival will present life-size figures as well as requisites from the Wild West — and all made of pumpkins.

“About 30,000 pumpkins of 150 breeds were used to create all figures and sceneries from the Wild West,” said Andrea Hess from the Gartenschau public affairs team. Visitors can watch a buffalo hunt, trappers riding on their wagons through the plains looking for gold and Indian families sitting in their tepee near a fire. “We worked with the full range of pumpkins of all colors and placed them in nicely decorated environments,” Hess said.

The “biggest pumpkin contest” is scheduled for Sept. 22. Pumpkin breeders and hobby gardeners can participate. To register, visit www.gartenschau-kl.de, click on “downloads” then click on “Anmeldung Kürbiswiegen 2013.” The official weighing will start at 1 p.m. Sept. 22 near the fountain infront of the entrance.

The Gartenschau is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays, Oct. 3 and during German school break, from Oct. 4 to 18. Tickets cost €7 for adults and €3 for children. For more information, visit www.gartenschau-kl.de.