Sycamore Pumpkin Fest theme winner ‘feeling good’ about worldly idea

SYCAMORE – Fifth grader Samuel Schwartz, 10, said he’s ready to take on the excitement of helping herald in the start of this year’s Sycamore Pumpkin Festival after his idea was picked for the annual decorating contest, a highlight of the merriment.

In May, Samuel was declared the 2024 Sycamore Pumpkin Festival theme contest winner for his idea “Pumpkins Around the World.” At the time, Schwartz was recognized on the steps of the DeKalb County Courthouse by organizers of the annual fall affair, but this month, he’ll have more fanfare to enjoy.

“I’m feeling pretty good about it,” Samuel said of his upcoming dignitary responsibilities.

Longtime Sycamore Pumpkin Festival committee member Terri Goodman said she couldn’t believe the idea hadn’t been done before.

“I think it’s a great theme,” Goodman said. “I’m kind of surprised, when I saw it on the sheet, I thought, ‘Really, this has never been suggested?’ Because it’s a great theme. It really is.”

The North Grove Elementary School student will get to cut the first slice of a giant cake at 5 p.m. Oct. 23 as a part of the festival’s opening ceremony. Samuel also will ride in Sunday’s Pumpkin Parade at 1 p.m. Oct. 27.

His mother, Marcy Schwartz, said she thinks her son’s duties are exciting.

“I think it’s a big deal that he gets to ride in the parade and cut the cake,” she said.

Schwartz said she’s also looking forward to viewing how people choose to adorn their pumpkins.

“Sam is a man of few words,” Schwartz said. “He came up with it [the idea] because he was thinking of the Olympics, the world and all the people represented. That is what he told me anyway.”

The Schwartzes said they’ve already been toying with a couple of ideas that involve wonders of the world for their own pumpkin design, but they haven’t decided exactly what they’ll do yet.

Goodman said she thinks Samuel’s theme also is an opportunity for designers to put a positive spin on immigration.

“Our country is built on immigrants,” Goodman said. “That’s who we are: Americans. We are a bunch [of] melting pot immigrants from all over the world.”

The 2023 Sycamore Pumpkin Festival had about 1,200 entries into the Sycamore Lions Club’s pumpkin-decorating contest. Goodman said she’s hopeful that even more will be entered this year. Organizers won’t know the official total until the first day of the festival when decorated pumpkins are dropped off on the DeKalb County Courthouse lawn.

Goodman said she also likes how Samuel’s theme could spur participants to consider their own heritage as they design their pumpkins.

“It’s wonderful that kids have internet, and they can learn so much about other countries, and they can talk to other people around the world and that kind of thing,” Goodman said. “But to really connect and have that understanding of their own heritage is cool. And I hope that we’ll see some of that as well.”