Daniel Island Pumpkin Walk to offer ghoulish good time!
Jack o’ lanterns, luminaries, and s’mores…oh my! It’s that ghoulish time of year when Daniel Island’s Smythe Park is transformed into a magical, bewitching fall festival of fun. And organizers of the annual Daniel Island Pumpkin Walk say this year will once again not disappoint. Prepare to carve out loads of macabre merriment at a variety of activities, including a display of hundreds of lit pumpkins along the venue’s trails, as well as food and entertainment for all ages.
“The Pumpkin Walk has been a time-honored tradition on Daniel Island for years,” said Becky Howard, the event’s coordinator. “This is the third year the community is hosting it and it is free. The event at its core is a simple walk through the paths of Smythe Lake to view the lit jack-o-lanterns. In essence - a way for the island to kick off the season. What has evolved is a magical night of luminaries and pumpkins on display, carved by you and your neighbors.”
In addition, there will be s’mores stations, fire pits, and areas for picnicking. According to Howard, planners invite local organizations to take part in fundraising at the event.
“This year, a local cheer team is hosting a bake sale,” she said. “The event is free and there is no associated charity. We welcome any group looking to fundraise though!”
The event was formerly hosted by the Daniel Island School PTA at Barfield Park, but moved to Smythe Park as a community-led event about three years ago, with guidance from the Daniel Island Property Owners Association, added Howard. Since then, Howard’s committee has grown from just nine volunteers to close to 30.
“The important thing to know is we have no ties to an organization,” she said. “We are doing this solely because we love the event! We keep it as simple as we can, and we know it isn’t the exact same as the PTA’s (event), but we work with what we can as volunteers. The POA is a huge help financially, as well as the sponsors we have who do a multitude of things for us.”
Community members are asked to bring carved pumpkins, each with an LED light, to the park on the day of the event from 12 to 3 p.m. to be part of the evening’s display (pumpkins can be retrieved after the event). In 2016, Howard estimates some 400 pumpkins were featured during the festivities. With the community’s support, she is hopeful for a similar turnout this year.
“Unless the community firstly wants to volunteer, and secondly brings their pumpkins to the event, we do not have an event,” said Howard. “So long as we have both, we will keep honoring the tradition!”
This year’s sponsors include the Daniel Island Community Fund, UPS of Daniel Island, and Daniel Island Dentistry. For more information, contact Howard at beck.m.howard@gmail.com or (843) 696-0831.