Above: Girl Scouts are organizing a jack-o’-lantern event for their members (and friends & family) that they are inviting the public to view. (image from flyer)
Southborough Girl Scouts decided to use Halloween weekend to give their members a safe, alternative way to light up the town with jack-o’-lanterns.* They are inviting the public to view the results.
For families forgoing traditional trick or treating this year, this could be a nice alternative for Saturday night. (It’s one of multiple options this weekend.) For those that will be busy on Halloween, you can check out the display starting the night prior.
A message to members invited them (and their friends and families) to carve up some pumpkins for display. Prizes will be awarded for Scariest, Funniest, Cutest, and Most Original. Plus fun patches will be provided to member participants.
Participants were asked to identify a location where the gourds will be displayed, viewable by cars driving by. (The flyer specified, “Select a Display site that is in a location that is both easy to find and accessible by cars that can drive by slowly (won’t block a main thoroughfare)”
Locations were to be shared with the Girl Scouts so they could share the information with the rest of us. Now, organizers are sharing that info.
So far it’s not a big list. But no deadline was initially shared for registering. (So, if you are a Girl Scout family, want to participate, and just hadn’t registered yet – email southboroughgirlscouts@gmail.com.)
Pumpkins will be put out on Friday evening (with battery powered lights inside) in time for the public to begin the drive by. The display will be available for viewing from 6:00 pm this Friday, October 30th at through Halloween night (Saturday).
This morning, the list on the public Google.doc identified 8 troops participating with 7 locations already identified. You can find those here, along with a link to a customized google map to help you navigate.
Whether you are part of the official GS display or just putting out a pumpkin in your yard or on your stoop, I’m also inviting you to participate in a virtual viewing. Email your jack-o’-lantern pics to mysouthborough@gmail.com between now and Sunday. I’ll share contributed photos on the blog and social media.
*A lot of families in town were disappointed when the annual pre-Heritage Day “Light Up Southborough” event was cancelled this fall. That’s the Southborough Rotary Club event where traditionally the public places carved pumpkins on the stone wall around the Old Burial Grounds between the Library and Pilgrim Church. It normally draws a crowd of people, tightly packed, to view the creative and fun display. Between the pandemic and the construction in that area, this wasn’t an ideal fall to hold the event.
