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Elkin will be celebrating the first day of fall with the 17th Annual Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival this Saturday.

Bringing in approximately 8,000 to 10,000 people, the Pumpkin Festival was created to help downtown businesses and downtown growth.

“It is a traditional craft and food festival,” Laurette Leagon, president of the Yadkin Valley Chamber of Commerce said. “It is definitely a community and family oriented event that brings in roughly $5,000.”

Along with musical performances and food and craft vendors, one of the more popular events is the produce weight off.

Growers from as far as Ohio to as close as South Carolina bring gourds, squash, pumpkins, tomatoes and watermelons to compete in the Weigh Off.

“We are a nationally sanctioned weigh off station of the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth,” said Leagon. “Elkin is the only sanctioned weight off station in North Carolina.”

New to this year’s Pumpkin Festival will be karaoke, which will go on throughout the day, and the Elkin Jaycees will be holding a corn hole tournament.

“The Jaycees wanted to be involved with the Pumpkin Festival and talked to the festival board and came up with the idea of a corn hole tournament,” said Levi Shore, who is chairing the event for the Jaycees. “It gives the Jaycees a chance to be part of a local festival and introduce ourselves to those who don’t know much about us.”

Playing under the rules of the American Cornhole Association, up to 16, two person teams can register to play in the tournament with a $20 registration fee. The tournament will be in front of the Tribune office after the produce weigh-off, Shore said.

The Elkin Valley Trails Association and the Rotary Club are holding a Duck Derby and Turtle Regatta race in the Elkin Creek starting at 5 p.m.

The trails will be using the money to build bridges along the greenway, and the Rotary Club will donate the money to Tri-C Ministries, Joe Hicks who is chairing the event, said.

The first 20 ducks or turtles that win the race will win prizes such as a Twenty-One and Main gift certificate or a two night stay at any Marriott.

Footloose Express Cloggers and Rhythm on Main dancers will perform and there will be musical performances from local bands Beyond the Blue and the Graybyrds. The main stage for the dance and music performances will be in front of Welles Fargo.

There are also 84 food and craft vendors and a pumpkin pie eating contest.

Also going on during is the Sixth Annual Quilt Show at Galloway Church. Quilters and the Friends of the Elkin Public Library Book Sale begins at 8 a.m. on Saturday.

The Pumpkin Festival will be held from 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22, on Main St. in Elkin.

Jessica Pickens at 835-1513 ext. 17 or jpickens@heartlandpublications.com.