PUMPKIN PARADISE; FESTIVAL ATTENDEES GATHER FOR GOURDS.Byline: Melissa Schmitt Daily News Staff Writer Tom Duby settled himself in his chair, gave a thumbs-up to a friend in the crowd and, on the count of three, smashed his face into a whipped-cream-topped pumpkin pie pumpkin pie traditional dish, especially at Thanksgiving. [Am. Culture: Flexner, 68] See : America . Sixty seconds later he emerged to be crowned champion of the pumpkin-pie-eating contest at the annual Calabasas Pumpkin Festival. ``I just ate to the bottom,'' the understated Duby said, smiling broadly. The Calabasas Pumpkin Festival has evolved from a one-time party affair for Calabasas locals into a full-fledged community event that people across the state look forward to each year. Hundreds of people like Duby, 34, of North Hollywood packed Saturday's festival, held at Paramount Ranch, on the former western set of ``Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman is multi-Emmy Award winning western/dramatic television series in the United States, created by Beth Sullivan. It ran on CBS for six seasons, from January 1st, 1993 to May 16th, 1998. .'' They came to spit pumpkin seeds, bowl with pumpkins and see the sights, which included wild animals WILD ANIMALS. Animals in a state of nature; animals ferae naturae. Vide Animals; Ferae naturae. , ``Clueless'' star Alicia Silverstone showing off puppies in need of parents and live western music. Across the western town from all the music and animal activity, children learned to make Guatemalan friendship bracelets, sand art and pasta necklaces. Richard Kick, 15, of Canoga Park opted for pumpkin-seed spitting over the arts and crafts arts and crafts, term for that general field of applied design in which hand fabrication is dominant. The term was coined in England in the late 19th cent. as a label for the then-current movement directed toward the revivifying of the decorative arts. . Regardless of his amateur status in the seed-spitting arena, he emerged the winner, launching his pumpkin seed an astonishing a·ston·ish tr.v. as·ton·ished, as·ton·ish·ing, as·ton·ish·es To fill with sudden wonder or amazement. See Synonyms at surprise. 20 feet. ``I just held my breath and let it go,'' the teen-ager said. Saturday's festivities fes·tiv·i·ty n. pl. fes·tiv·i·ties 1. A joyous feast, holiday, or celebration; a festival. 2. The pleasure, joy, and gaiety of a festival or celebration. 3. celebrated roots that go back to the days when California was a Spanish land-grant territory. When the Portola expedition The Portola expedition was led from 1769 to 1770 by Gaspar de Portolà and was the first known attempt by Spain to explore Upper California by land. The purpose of the expedition was to secure territories in Upper California before the Russians. got to the hills of Calabasas, it found the place literally covered with the vines and white blooms of a gourdlike fruit. Many people believe Calabasas is actually the Spanish word for pumpkin, but literature from the Calabasas Historical Society casts doubt on that theory. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the society's brochures, it was originally a Chumash Indian term meaning ``where the wild geese fly.'' CAPTION(S): 2 photos PHOTO (1) Maggie Kuroki, left, and Abby Yoshioka set up a row of decorated pumpkins Saturday at the annual Calabasas Pumpkin Festival, held at Paramount Ranch. (2) Members of the 5.6.7.8. Dance Company of West Hills, above, entertain themselves by watching their friends perform on stage at the festival. Jaime Tyler, left, works on her ornamental art display. Also featured at the festival were pumpkin-pie-eating and pumpkin-seed-spitting contests, pumpkin bowling, animal exhibits and live western music. Tina Gerson/Daily News |
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