N.B. man carves 100 pumpkins for 'The Great Pumpkin Walk'
The Great Pumpkin Walk is on in Miramichi, N.B., with just over 100 pumpkins displayed along the downtown Chatham business district for locals to enjoy.
John Vickers, who works for the business district, is also a pumpkin-carving connoisseur. For nearly 20 years he has been carving pumpkins across the country.
"I first began carving pumpkins out on the West Coast and putting them on my front yard. So many people came to see them, I was encouraged to put out a UNICEF box. We collected a fair bit of money, the following year, UNICEF said 'John we'd love you to keep carving,' and that's when it all started."
Since moving back to the East Coast, he has prepared over a hundred pumpkins for this year's great pumpkin walk, which people in the Miramichi can see for themselves during this spooky season.
It's really fun to be able to dress up the downtown. There are pumpkins on every pole," he said. "Each are plugged into power, so they're illuminated 24 hours a day and we invite the whole community to come down and walk through our district."
Since the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented people from gathering this Halloween, he wanted to find a "safe way" for people to get into the Halloween spirit during the pandemic.
Spotted along Water Street, his carvings include everything from Halloween favourites to cartoon characters and famous faces including Elvis Presley.
"I carve for different age groups so typically there's something for everybody. We try to impress everyone so that the whole family when they come down to visit there is something in it for everybody."
Vickers told CTV News that it takes him typically half an hour to 45 minutes to carve one pumpkin, but he has managed to find a way to make them last.
"One of the things you realize quickly is that you can only get to about 10 pumpkins before pumpkin number one starts to collapse. So, I have discovered these polyurethane molds. They take a bit longer to carve, but the benefit is they last forever."
Vickers's creations will continue to light up the downtown Chatham area from now until Halloween.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
'I just want to be safe': Ukrainian man in Canada faces limbo amid consular freeze
A recent decision to restrict consular services for fighting-aged Ukrainian men has made a Ukrainian man in Canada feel less certain of his next steps — and worried he could be pulled back to the war.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Dozens of U.S. deaths reveal risks of injecting sedatives into people restrained by police
The practice of giving sedatives to people detained by police has spread quietly across the U.S. over the last 15 years, built on questionable science and backed by police-aligned experts, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found.