2014 PumpkinPalooza at Victorian Square in Sparks, NV October 26.

2014 PumpkinPalooza in Victorian Square in Sparks, NV, October 26 from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Last year we informed you about the PumpkinPalooza in Sparks at Victorian Square. It was a great time and the various carnival games and free walk throughs of the train and readings at the Glendale Schoolhouse (built in 1864) managed through the Sparks Heritage Museum kept our kids busy and we had a lot of fun. Overall, the PumpkinPalooza is a great event to attend each year with friends and family of all ages.

Here’s what you can expect if you decide to attend this year:

Sunday, October 26 – 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

• Build and race a pumpkin in the Pumpkin Derby
• Participate in the children’s costume parade
• Enjoy storytelling in the Haunted Schoolhouse
• Play carnival style games
• Compete in the pie-eating, pumpkin seed spitting, and mummy wrapping contests
• Enter their pumpkins in the beauty contest
• Enjoy live music

And so much more!

Last year, more than 5,000 people attended the 2nd annual event and this year the event appears poised to grow exponentially. And it’s all benefiting the Northern Nevada Center for Independent Living. For more information, visit www.pumpkinpalooza.org.

Will you be attending the PumpkinPalooza this year? What are you looking forward to during this year’s PumpkinPalooza event? Please leave us a comment below and let us know.

About Independent Living for People of Disabilities

As a former employee of a large national organization that serves people with disabilities, this event means a lot to me, personally. The disability movement is one of the last movements fighting for civil rights in much the same ways that people of color did back in the 50s and 60s and women did in the 20s. There is push today for people with disabilities to live in an inclusive environment, within their communities and not in an institutional setting. Please notice that I make the choice not to call people with disabilities, “disabled people”, “handicapped” or going to the extreme of using the word “retarded“. People with disabilities are just people, like you and me. They just happen to have a disability and are fully entitled to respect, dignity and equality like any other person. Many people with disabilities can learn life skills that can enable them to live in our communities and give back in ways that are meaningful and benefit the communities we live in. The Northern Nevada Center for Independent Living is “dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with all disabilities by promoting independence through self empowerment, choice and community involvement” and “each person, regardless of the severity of his or her disability, has the potential to grow, develop, and share fully the joys and responsibilities of our society.” That is something that I can stand behind and gladly donate to by attending this event.