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[sanddunerider]

Saturday--  another  24,000 people...     and the story continues.....

[Coaster]

With these numbers, I see the Harvest Festival definitely getting expanded. Especially since it seems the summer numbers were down some this year. I wouldn't be surprised if this festival begins in September 2020.

[sdcfan88]

FYI at the park right now. It's getting pretty packed. Stop 2-3 is full as well as much of the handicapped preferred parking area. Stop 5 lot is already about half full. Electric scooters are also sold out today so be sure to call ahead or make necessary preparations if you have any disabled guests.

[sanddunerider]

Sunday 15,000 people!!   the PTB have to be thrilled with these numbers, considering the slow start..

[Gilligan]

FYI at the park right now. It's getting pretty packed. Stop 2-3 is full as well as much of the handicapped preferred parking area. Stop 5 lot is already about half full. Electric scooters are also sold out today so be sure to call ahead or make necessary preparations if you have any disabled guests.

I got there about 9:30 and handicapped parking up front was full. There was a steady stream coming in, including several school buses.  We left about 1:30, and there were still quite a lot coming in.  Weather was perfect, and it was a great day to be there.  Everyone on park seemed to be in a good mood, and the crowds didn't appear too bad at all.   

[RJW]

Harvest Crafts VS Pumpkin Nights!  = Pumpkin Nights is the victor

Nope, Harvest Crafts and Pumpkin Nights = winner.
Harvest Crafts and lame cowboys = old, and stale.

[sanddunerider]

Nope, Harvest Crafts and Pumpkin Nights = winner.
Harvest Crafts and lame cowboys = old, and stale.

Tread Lightly there RJW. 
You might find out there are others (including me) on this forum that doesnt agree with that statement.

Wed. - 11,000 people..

[RJW]

The cowboy stuff had run it's course. Some interesting things, and the show in the Red Gold barn was good. But it had nowhere near the excitement, and draw for mass crowds that Pumpkin Nights does.
The visiting crafters will always have somewhat of a draw, but needs something else added to bring in the big crowds.

[pintrader]

Harvest Crafts VS Pumpkin Nights!  = Pumpkin Nights is the victor

Nope, Harvest Crafts and Pumpkin Nights = winner.
Harvest Crafts and lame cowboys = old, and stale.

In all honesty you could put Harvest Crafts or cowboys with Pumpkin Nights and still would have had a large increase in attendance.  Shoot....you could have called it Tiddlywinks contest and Pumpkin Nights and still had a big spike in attendance.  Its pretty clear Pumpkin Nights is what is bringing them in.

[legoerosion]

Nope, Harvest Crafts and Pumpkin Nights = winner.
Harvest Crafts and lame cowboys = old, and stale.

Tread Lightly there RJW. 
You might find out there are others (including me) on this forum that doesnt agree with that statement.

I'm one of the few who agrees with BOTH sides. The Pumpkin Nights is clearly the reason why people are coming. It's new, it's fresh, and who doesn't like pumpkins? However, the cowboys is what gave SDC it's charm. Everything about SDC has that "SDC charm" I like to call it (think of the pavement smell) whether they're old or new. The pumpkins have that SDC charm (albeit the music doesn't help at all). They're shaped like the crafters there. I love the new addition, but will also miss the ones lost.

[runner1960]

I am in the minority here but what is so intriguing about pumpkins ?  I would not walk here to my garage to see a pumpkin. But a full blown crafts festival. YES. As long as the merchandise being created was new and relevant. BUt a carved pumpkin would put me to sleep very fast. I guess it does not take much to entertain people anymore.

[mg]

I think that the hours have a big part to do with the increased crowds. I don't recall the previous fall festival being open until 9 or later every night. For us, the hours were part of what for us to visit more this fall, but the atmosphere that Pumpkin Nights creates was also part of it. Specifically the decorations from the square to the pumpkin plaza and the wooded trail, not so much the actual pumpkin plaza. We also never go on Saturdays so not talking about crazy crowd atmosphere either. We were never really interested in the cowboy stuff.

[Gilligan]

I both agree/disagree with the last 3 posts.  Pumpkin Nights was just "okay" for me - nothing special.  I loved the themed look of the pumpkins (and the evening hours), but... overall, more is needed than just piles of pumpkins.  The rest of the park took a nosedive for Fall, and I missed that!  Bring back the scarecrows, flowers, gourds, wreaths, banners, straw bales, flags, and garlands.  And, spread it throughout the park - not just pumpkin themed areas.  As far as the cowboy fest, I honestly never paid any attention to it until a couple years ago and realized what I was missing. It fits better than the pumpkin theme, even though those pumpkins are really pulling in families.  Losing Kent Rollins and Buck Taylor is a real loss, IMO. I miss the larger number of crafters, but I don't miss the cheap, crappy, Chinese made crap that made it's way into the park through quite a few vendors the last few years.

[sanddunerider]

 
The rest of the park took a nosedive for Fall, and I missed that!  Bring back the scarecrows, flowers, gourds, wreaths, banners, straw bales, flags, and garlands.  And, spread it throughout the park - not just pumpkin themed areas. 

Losing Kent Rollins and Buck Taylor is a real loss, IMO.

I miss the larger number of crafters, but I don't miss the cheap, crappy, Chinese made crap that made it's way into the park through quite a few vendors the last few years.

Yes, YES!!   and YES!!   

Thank you!!   

[sanddunerider]

Rain Day !!!  -   -   1100 people...