In the oft-quoted words of Anne Shirley, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
There’s something about fall that makes creativity feel contagious - the crisp air, the burst of color, the sense of possibility that comes with a new season. This October, that spirit was alive and well in Grays Harbor County, where hundreds of people gathered in libraries across the region to decorate mini pumpkins, connect with neighbors, and celebrate the joy of making something together.
Over four weekends, we hosted Mini Pumpkin Decorating programs in eight different communities. Every Saturday, our teams transformed library meeting rooms into lively art studios - sometimes running multiple back-to-back sessions so we could welcome as many people as possible. Our smallest group had nine participants; our largest, 88. Across all sessions, the energy was the same: laughter, color, and connection.
Some participants were regulars who attend nearly every library program. Others were first-time visitors who had seen the event online or heard about it from a friend. A few simply wandered in while waiting for the bus or checking out books. We welcomed babies barely a few months old content to nap through the creative chaos, and a 97-year-old artist who claimed the title of our “most seasoned” decorator. Families, teens, grandparents, and trios of crafty adults filled tables with paint pens, foam shapes, stickers, and an impressive amount of googly eyes.
In all, 460 mini pumpkins from our local pumpkin patch, Chapman Farms, found new life through the imagination of community members. Some pumpkins became beloved Halloween characters like Jack Skellington and Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Others were transformed into underwater scenes, sticker-filled parking lots, and glittering works of art thanks to the generosity of our Friends of the Library groups. No two pumpkins were the same - except, of course, for a few best friends determined to make matching ones.
These programs reminded us why creative play matters in libraries. When people gather to make art of any kind they’re also making connections. The hum of conversation, the shared laughter, the small moments of encouragement between strangers and friends alike all of it reflects how libraries connect us to not just ideas, and information, but to our communities as well.
We’re already looking forward to future creative gatherings, including an intergenerational snowflake project coming this February across Grays Harbor County. Whether it’s paint pens and pumpkins or paper and snowflakes, creativity connects us. Libraries are where ideas take root - and sometimes, where pumpkins do too.
