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
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10,000 Zantac lawsuits in U.S.: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.