Pumpkin Fest started off with a creative bang Wednesday with the Sycamore Lions Club 52nd Annual Pumpkin Display on the Sycamore Courthouse lawn.

Fest Vice President Bart Desch said the pumpkin display brought crowds of close to 800 people Wednesday. There were 11 pumpkin categories that centered around this year’s fest theme, Pumpkin Adventures. Families traveled to downtown Sycamore and wore Halloween costumes and seasonal apparel to enter their pumpkins in the contest, enjoy food and participate in fall festivities. Desch said he expects around 100,000 people at the parade Sunday.

“This is our third year [entering the contest],” said Sycamore resident Christina Adams, who was setting up her son’s contest entry, which was covered with colorful scribbles.

Being from the DeKalb-Sycamore area, Christina and Donny Adams are no strangers to Pumpkin Fest, and their son, Braden, has joined in on the action. Braden’s pumpkin was entered into the 5-years-old and younger section in the Weird, Ugly and Scary category.

“It’s pretty obvious [Braden] decorated it himself,” Donny Adams said.

All participants in the contest are competing to win a first-, second- or third-place ribbon and cash prize or a specialized award like Largest Pumpkin or President’s Award.

“There was only one year I didn’t get a ribbon,” said pumpkin display contestant Rebecca Allen, 8.

Allen has won first place for best in category and second place for best in category and has high hopes this year’s witch-themed pumpkin will earn her another ribbon.

“All weekend is Pumpkin Fest weekend,” said Sycamore resident Sarah McCann. “We go to the pancake breakfast, we come enter pumpkins, we go to the parade. It’s just like a whole weekend deal.”

McCann and her daughter also entered a witch-themed pumpkin with a sign that tied in the festival’s theme, saying the witch was “ready for adventures.”

Throughout Pumpkin Fest, the pumpkins entered will be on display on the courthouse lawn.