Now that officials in Keene have formally denied a permit for this year’s pumpkin festival, other New Hampshire communities are exploring the possibility of hosting the event.
Paul Shea with Great American Downtown of Nashua says he’s reached out to the festival organizer to explore whether the city could be a new home for the festival.
"Something like this starts with conversations, so without that, there's really no moving forward," Shea said. "You've got 24 years of building something great that families love to go out to. It would be sad that all just stop."
Shea says he’s not yet heard back from the Let It Shine, the group that runs the pumpkin festival.
According to the Associated Press, Ruth Sterling, the organizer of the festival, says she's received invitations from several New Hampshire communities and one in Massachusetts.
The Keene City Council voted 13-1 last week to reject a permit to hold the event in October.
Last year’s event was marred by riots that happened just outside the festival footprint, leading to dozens of arrests.
