Leopold turns to pumpkins this weekend

ENCOMPASS Community Services’ annual Pumpkin Fair will return to Leopold this weekend.

Now in its fourth year, the fair has added an Ecological Footprint Market, which hopes to encourage everyone to take a bold step in accelerating sustainable living practices in their everyday lives.

Fritzie Punsalang from Encompass said the Pumpkin Fair was bigger this year.

“The Colouring In Competition that we run every year (kindly sponsored by SC Technology) has now over 5,000 entries (and growing) from various schools in Geelong – from the Bellarine all the way to the northern suburbs.”

Ms Punsalang said the fair was all about helping to shape inclusive and sustainable local communities.

“We are all very excited for Pumpkin Fair day – It is going to be lots of fun.”

Apart from the usual fair staples, such as live music/entertainment, sausage sizzle, market stalls, face painting, spinning wheel and raffle, there will be interactive children’s activities and sustainable living workshops too.

The fair is at a seven-acre farm called The Paddock on O’Halloran Road (off Melaluka Road) in Leopold on Saturday, March 24 between 10am and 3pm.

Using the herbs and produce from the farm, the life skills support program, Options and Connections, will make tea (peppermint, chamomile, lemon balm), oils (rosemary, thyme, sage, lemon balm, lavender), lavender sugar (a healthier alternative to your usual sugar), pumpkin spice and relishes.

Live entertainment on the day includes an amazing interactive wildlife show by The Rookeepers (from 1.30pm), singer/songwriter Joni Gardner, acoustic duo Salted Fish, GSODA, Geelong Lyric, Options & Connections Dance Group, Encompass Refashion Parade Team and With One Voice – Geelong.

For more information, head to encompass-cs.org.au/pumpkinfair or follow “Encompass – The Paddock” on Facebook.