Llanidloes’ first festival dedicated to pumpkins launches this weekend.

Llanidloes Pumpkin Festival is a one-day event (Saturday, October 23) that aims to get residents, visitors, businesses, and groups wearing something orange and make the town Wales' pumpkin capital.

A fun-filled schedule of events has been released by the organisers detailing a variety of activities for children and grown-ups which includes a lantern parade and fire show, treasure hunt, pumpkin carving, autumn crown making, puppet workshop and storytelling.

Organisers, The Wilderness Trust, say they are “very excited” for the community event to finally go ahead after months of planning which will see Great Oak Street pedestrianised and closed to traffic from 9am to 10pm while the street is filled with market stall, activities, music, food, and fun.

"There will also be plenty of other activities for adults and children during the day including watching local musicians, craft workshops and food and drink. And any green fingered gardeners are reminded to bring their biggest pumpkins for our competition."

County Times: The winning logo designs for Llanidloes' first Pumpkin Festival

The winning logo designs for Llanidloes' first Pumpkin Festival.

The autumn festival will also host competitions that will be rewarded with prized donated by local shops, organisations and award-winning authors. Prizes will be handed out by Llanidloes Mayor Councillor Janet Crisp at an award ceremony for the heaviest pumpkin, most beautiful carved pumpkin, best pumpkin animal, most beautiful lantern and best pumpkin cake, pie, and chutney. Competition entries need to be handed in at the Town Hall by 2pm before the ceremony begins at 3pm.

Former Welsh Government minister for Education and Environment Jane Davidson has been announced as one of the speakers at this weekend’s event. The author of #futuregen: Lesson From A Small Country will talk with Kait Duerden of Zero Carbon Llanidloes about ‘A Message for Our Time’ at the Hanging Garden, Bethel Street at noon on Saturday.

The evening will be filled with live music and light where there will be a lantern parade and fire show in the town centre at Great Oak Street to The Hanging Gardens until 10pm.