Old Greenwich School (OGS) kicked off the Halloween festivities with the unveiling of the Pumpkin Lady, outfitted in early 1970’s ware to commemorate the 45th Annual Pumpkin Patch. Pumpkin Patch, OGS’ annual fund-raiser, will be held on Saturday, Oct. 17 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring a haunted house, hay maze, arts and crafts, bouncy slides, games food prizes and more.
This year’s event is particularly meaningful as the school celebrates the 45th Anniversary of Pumpkin Patch. OGS had a tradition of a Pumpkin Sale sponsored by the PTA called the Harvest Fair. By the early 1970’s the Pumpkin sale/Harvest Fair had evolved into the “Pumpkin Patch Party.” Some of the original activities included a pumpkin sale, “attic treasure sale,” lots of kids games, “a fun house” and hayride.
The first PTA Chairs of “Pumpkin Patch” in the early 1970’s were Jane Greene and Eleanor Fitchner. They made enough money through Pumpkin Patch to fund the playground for the school and the PTA presented a check to Grover Smith, the then principal of the school.
This year’s Pumpkin Patch will reintroduce another early tradition – serving chili. In the mid-70’s chili had become a tradition at the Pumpkin Patch. Happy Pappas, Mary Pilder, Joan Felicella and others developed the recipe. Families would cook pots of it at home and bring it to the fair. At first it was used as a topping to hot dogs, but it was so popular that by the next year they were selling it by the bowl.
