Proud of his pumpkin carving skills - with some help from his dad - FishHawk resident Preston Perkins, 6, smiles at the camera during last year’s Life is Good Pumpkin Festival.

The Annual FishHawk Ranch Pumpkin Festival, scheduled Saturday, October 16, from 2 –10 p.m., will be at a  new location for the first time in its five-year history. This year’s events will be held at Starling at FishHawk Ranch, one of the newest neighborhoods in Lithia. 
The new spot for the festivities is the location of the future site of the Starling Club, located on FishHawk Ridge Dr., north of FishHawk Blvd. 
According to FishHawk Ranch by Newland Communities Marketing Manager Dawn Turner, local food vendors are set to support the two local charities, HomeAid Tampa Bay and Feeding America Tampa Bay, by donating 50 percent of the money that they raise to the cause.
Vendors for the event, so far, include Aquatic Café, Formaggio’s Pizza and Ole’ Kentucky Kettlecorn, all of whom also supported Concerts for a Cause this summer, donating more than $4,000 to Feeding America Tampa Bay.
Of course, Turner said the list of supporters is by no means complete.
“There are a number of other vendors that the community is currently in the process of confirming,” she said.  
What has and will never change is the carving of more than 1,000 pumpkins, which will be delivered at 9 a.m.
Games and festivities will kick off at 2 p.m. with a children’s costume parade, followed by a new game called “Hamster Ball Race.” Turner said that those who want to know what this race is all about will just have to come and find out for themselves.
To close the day, FishHawk’s very own local band, Sweet Spot, will perform for attendees at the festival from 7-10 p.m. 
Donations of $1 per ticket will be accepted, with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting the local charities. 
“Cash donations will be accepted by the food vendors, but with no ATM machines close by, bringing cash is important,” Turner said.
FishHawk Ranch by Newland Communities Marketing Coordinator Lynda McMorrow, who thanked all involved for supporting the 11 concerts, said that through the food vendors’ monetary donations and the concert attendees’ food donations, Feeding America Tampa Bay will be able to provide 18,409 meals.
Visit www. FishHawkRanch.com for more details about the festival and getting involved.

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