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L
ate September 2016 Update:
The 2016 Call for Carvers is now closed. Thank you to everyone who applied to be a carver. If you missed the opportunity to participate, we hope you’ll stop by our tent at this year’s Carve and introduce yourself. Also, join our email list. We routinely email our list with timely event and activity updates, including Calls for Artists. Thank you for your interest!
The Hopewell Valley Arts Council invites artists, artisans and pumpkin enthusiasts to apply to carve a pumpkin for the second annual aMAZing Pumpkin Carve. Carving date is Wednesday, October 5, 2016.
The 2016 Carve will feature 50 giant pumpkins—carved by the applicants selected from this pool—in a fun, walk-through, family-oriented attraction. (Check out our gallery of last year’s aMAZing pumpkins.)
Thanks to the success of last year’s event, we are extending the 2016 Carve to two weekends:
- Friday Oct. 7 thru Monday, Oct. 10 (Columbus Day)
- Friday, Oct. 14 thru Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016
Once again, the HV Arts Council has teamed up with Howell Living History Farm to hold this event on the grounds of its ever-popular Corn Maze. The Howell Farm Corn Maze is the longest running corn maze in New Jersey, covering over four acres with two miles of paths, and boasting attendance of 8,000+ per year.
The Howell Farm Corn Maze will be open to the public for seven weekends, Sept.17 thru Oct. 30, 2016. During the two weekends of the Carve’s display, visitors will be able to purchase separate tickets to the Carve and the Corn Maze, OR take advantage of a discounted “combo” ticket for both attractions.
Curtis May carves his aMAZing pumpkin that took “Best in Show” in 2015.
Artist Eligibility and Carver Selection
The aMAZing Pumpkin Carve is open to all artists from the acclaimed to the amateur, from sculptor to culinary artist.
The success of the exhibition depends upon the creativity and workmanship of the pumpkins on display. As such, carvers will be selected by the Hopewell Valley Arts Council from the submitted carver registrations based upon their proven artistic skill and craftsmanship in some aspect of the arts, or through photos demonstrating their pumpkin carving or other relevant skills.
Apply to Become a Carver Soon! This is a limited opportunity.
Pumpkin carvers will be selected by the Hopewell Valley Arts Council from the registered applicants. We encourage you to apply early: there are only 50 pumpkins available, and they will be assigned to selected carvers as applications are received. To apply, please fill out this online application form.
Note: Once carving slots are filled, we will keep a wait list of back-up carvers in case they are needed. Wait-listed carvers will also be added to our mailing list to be notified of pumpkin carves in future years.
Information for Carvers
Please read both the Call for Artists and Pumpkin Carve Rules before applying to become a pumpkin carver.
Carving Day 2016 will be Wednesday, October 5.
Timeline
| Carver Registration | Between August 3 and September 18, 2016 Pumpkins will be assigned to qualified carvers as applications are received. Once carver slots are filled, carvers will be placed on a wait list. |
| Selection Notification | Via email by Sept. 20, 2016 |
| Carving Day | Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016, 10am-8:30pm. (Severe Weather Date: Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016) |
| Pumpkin Judging | Wednesday & Thursday, Oct. 5 & 6 during daylight and evening hours |
| Award Winners posted to website | Friday, Oct. 7 |
| Public Viewing of Pumpkins | Friday, Oct. 7th 5 to 9pm Saturday, Oct. 8th 12 to 9pm Sunday, Oct. 9th 12 to 9pm Monday, Oct. 10 12 to 5pm (Columbus Day) Friday, Oct. 14th 5 to 9pm Saturday, Oct. 15th 12 to 9pm Sunday, Oct. 16th 12 to 5pm |