WVU Medicine Barnesville Hospital and Woodsfield Savings Bank Partner for Pumpkin Festival Display

Celebrating the addition of downtown banners commemorating pumpkin festival parade marshals over the past 60 years this week were, l-r, Brittany Harris, marketing officer of Woodsfield Savings Bank; Village Administrator Roger Deal; Mayor Jake Hershberger; Tracey Rockwell, treasurer of the pumpkin festival; Tim Rockwell, pumpkin festival; Patty Riemenschneider, Barnesville branch manager of Woodsfield Savings Bank; Donna White, manager of Grants and Community Development Barnesville Hospital; and Lindsay Dowdle, marketing and community strategist of Barnesville Hospital.

WVU Medicine Barnesville Hospital and Woodsfield Savings Bank have partnered with the Village of Barnesville and the Barnesville Pumpkin Festival Committee to showcase the Barnesville Pumpkin Festival Parade Grand Marshals.

The banners, which display all past and present grand marshals, have been hung throughout downtown Barnesville to highlight the upcoming 60th anniversary of the Festival.

“Barnesville Hospital is proud to help bring this special project to life. The banners highlight an integral part of the Festival, which brings an average of 100,000 visitors to the village of Barnesville over the last full weekend of September. The four-day festival is the highlight of the year in Barnesville, and the parade marshals are special and influential icons for our Village. This is our chance to celebrate them in a very special way,” Donna White, manager of Grants and Community Development, said.

“The Hospital and Woodsfield Savings Bank would also like to send a special thank you to the Village of Barnesville, Roger Deal, Mayor Hershberger, the Barnesville Chamber of Commerce and the Council Members for their part in getting the photos and banners hung throughout downtown Barnesville.”

The festival, which began in 1964 as a small street festival, was founded in the basement of the Catholic Church. It has since grown from a small event to a Festival with over 100 vendors and a variety of activities. However, the Barnesville Pumpkin Festival parade was not established until 1974 with Frank Harp serving as the first Grand Marshal. The banners showcase all 50 Marshals from 1974-2024.

“We are incredibly honored to partner with WVU Medicine to make this commemorative project happen. What an incredible way to not only honor the Pumpkin Parade Grand Marshals of the past but to also add to the beauty and festive feeling of downtown Barnesville,” Brittany Harris, marketing officer for Woodsfield Savings Bank, said. “This will be the fourth year that Woodsfield Savings Bank presents the Barnesville Pumpkin Festival Parade, and I cannot think of a more appropriate addition to the proceedings than these commemorative banners. Truly inspiring!”