KNUTSFORD is set is to welcome residents and visitors to its annual Pumpkin Path trail on October 31 from 4pm to 7pm.

Knutsford Town Council is again organising the event with many of the town’s retailers and businesses.

The popular event will see youngsters and their parents scouring King Street’s shops and restaurants to find 11 carved pumpkins spelling out the words Pumpkin Path before dropping their entries at the Heritage Centre and Wallwood’s spooky post boxes.

Sandra Curties, town centre manager, said: “This year is a true community-led event, with dancing provided by Fuchsia School of Dancing and singing from local choir Knutsford Beats.

“Main sponsor Savills will be providing a goodie bag to collect treats and offering storytime sessions in Wallwood at the end. Another sponsor, Mere Day Nursery, will be having a little pop-up stall.

“It’s so lovely to see so many shops stay open late and join in - not just the Pumpkin Hosts - and see local and not so local families having fun.

“There will be a few spooky characters along the path and Wallwood will be decorated in true Halloween style.

“This event has become huge and we couldn’t do it without help from our volunteer groups and business community.

“As well as the shops hosting pumpkins, donated by Jonty’s Fruit and Veg of Knutsford Market Hall, the whole gets involved.

“A huge variety of retailers will be decorating their windows, including Town & Country, Lockton’s, Wendy Diddams and Mr Simms.”

Families can collect their entry forms and wristband from one of four registration desks dotted along King Street.

People can vote for their favourite by completing the entry form on the night and the top three will be announced by the Mayor the following day.

Knutsford Market Hall will be staying open hosting traditional Halloween games, mulled wine from Morgan Edwards, face painting (donation to Knutsford May Day) and Halloween food from The Market Café.

This year those who complete the path will be given a bag of treats courtesy of Swizzels Matlow and a commemorative bookmark saying ‘I Survived the Pumpkin Path’.

Event Buddha is providing traffic management services and Knutsford and Districts Lions and Knutsford Hosts, Savills and Little Waitrose are helping with marshalling duties.

Knutsford Guardian:

A Wallwood witch at last year's event. WA16PR

To enable the Pumpkin Path to take place safely, road closures will be in place as follows: King Street at the junction with Church Hill to the junction with Drury Lane, and Minshull Street.

There will also be parking bay suspension from midnight on Wednesday, October 30 from the King Street junction with Tatton Street to the junction with Drury Lane to enable two-way traffic to allow residents’ access to be maintained. All affected residents have been contacted.

Julia Chard from Mr Simms said she was looking forward to taking part in the Pumpkin Path, and had created a spooky window display for the event.

She said: “Every year there are new additions to the display, and this year we have some spooky skeleton bats, spiders and rats.

“We also have our spooky sweet tree, with hanging worms, brains, snails, skeletons and more.

“Our six-foot tall animated Halloween butler, nicknamed Norman, is in residence once again. He has been in attendance since our first Pumpkin Path in 2013.

“We will have plenty of trick and treats on the 31st and look forward to seeing all the little spooks hunting pumpkins on the night.”