The Tokeneke Pumpkin Carnival is an established favorite fall activity for Fairfield County families, offering something spooky and fun for children both big and small.
Every October for over 50 years, the Tokeneke Pumpkin Carnival has transformed the Tokeneke Elementary School, located on Old Farm Road in Darien, into a Halloween-themed haunted house and amusement park where kids of all ages can find delicious food, unique games and activities plus a wide variety of mechanical rides. This year, the Pumpkin Carnival is scheduled to take place on Saturday, Oct. 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The rain date for the event will be on the following day (Oct. 15).
The 2017 Pumpkin Carnival features rides and attractions suitable for a wide variety of ages. For those seeking a thrill, make sure to try Ali Baba, the Cliffhanger and Zero Gravity.
Preschoolers are sure to love the cars, trains and spin rides. In addition, the haunted house is not to be missed! The Carnival will feature a variety of new lawn games and activities plus familiar favorites like Pumpkin Plinko, Ghoulie Goalie and the Apple Launch. This year, School of Rock and Dance on the DL will perform during the event.
Carnival participants will also be able to enjoy a wide array of tasty foods and beverages from local Darien restaurants, such as Burgers Shakes & Fries, Heights Pizza, Meatball & Co., UCBC, plus the Melt Mobile. A Newman’s Own lemonade stand will serve refreshments.
Tokeneke Elementary School is once again partnering with Darien Human Services to offer area families the opportunity to participate in the annual Pumpkin Carnival Fundraiser, free of charge. Last year, ten families that would not have otherwise been able to attend were provided with free ride and game tickets, as well as complimentary food and drinks.
In 2017, we will look to the generosity of the Tokeneke school community to expand last year’s inaugural program and include more eligible Darien families in this initiative.
The Tokeneke Parent Teacher Organization (TPTO) is responsible for organizing the Pumpkin Carnival. Local businesses are the key supporters of the event, and The Darien Sport Shop will once again be this year’s title sponsor supported by Darien Rowayton Bank and Newman’s Own. Some of the other sponsors include: NOLA Physical Therapy, Dr. David Osherow, D.D.S; DEANE, Speed Printing & Graphics (SP&G), The Darien News, Heights Pizza, Burger Shakes and Fries, UCBC, Stew Leonard’s, The Studio, and Kempo Academy.
The funds raised at the Pumpkin Carnival provide funding for the Enrichment Program at the Tokeneke Elementary School. Over the years, the Enrichment Program has helped bring inspirational guests in the arts and sciences into the classroom for personal discussion and instruction with students.
“We are so proud to work closely with the greater Darien community to create a memorable day of family fun. “Please join us to enjoy the rides, old-fashioned games and delicious food and get a head start on the Halloween spirit!”,” said Jodi Sorrells, a Tokeneke parent and Co-Chair of this year’s event along with fellow Tokeneke parents and Co-Chairs Katie Pettit and Gina Gromelski.
Tokeneke School is one of five elementary schools in Darien. Located on Old Farm Road, Tokeneke serves approximately 500 students from preschool through fifth grade. The principal is Mary C. Michelson.
To learn more about the 2017 Pumpkin Carnival please visit the website: http://pumpkincarnival.tokenekepto.com/ LIKE us on Facebook www.facebook.com/pumpkincarnival and FOLLOW us on Instagram through the TPTO @tokeneke_pto.