CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Gaston County museum is getting ready for fall with its annual Autumn Festival on Saturday.
The Schiele Museum in Gastonia, North Carolina is hosting a big pumpkin patch with a variety of pumpkins on display. The goal is to educate people on the history, nutritional facts, and fun ways to showcase pumpkins during the fall season.
“People love pumpkins, people love fall, people love farms. We’re putting all these things together in Gastonia,” Tony Pasour, the museum's head of interpretation, said.
Pasour said the pumpkin patch connects people and agriculture.
“Well, I grew up on a farm here locally, and it’s part of my heritage, part of what my family has done for a long time in Gaston County. And looking back at my childhood a lot of the happiest memories I had were playing around the farm,” said Pasour.
He also offers tips for amateur chefs and reveals how butternut squash is related to pumpkins and in many cases used as a substitute for the fruit.
“Some of the better pumpkins to eat is a variety called Long Island cheese. A dark orange pumpkin, very high in sugar that last a long time and makes for a better cooking pumpkin.”
Pasour said one of the main events the festival Saturday will be a real showstopper to watch some pumpkins take flight.
“We’re going sling them a 100-feet with a catapult at the event, said Pasour.
The Autumn Festival will feature several other interactive attractions for the entire family including Gemstone Mining, Hayride, Pumpkins Patch program, Farm access with live animals will be among many other activities. Pricing can be found online.