Lebanon plans Pumpkins in the Park, Mischief on Meridian on Oct. 25; Christmas events announced

Joe LePage, communications and community development director for the city of Lebanon, and local event organizers on a city podcast outlined details for two citywide fall events planned for Oct. 25: Pumpkins in the Park at Memorial Park and Mischief on Meridian downtown.

Pumpkins in the Park will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Memorial Park and will charge $5 per person, organizers said. Lisonbee Morton of the Lebanon parks department said the fee is intended to keep the event affordable while covering activities. “It’s just $5 per person because we just want everybody to come and enjoy their time,” Morton said. The parks department’s program will include a pumpkin-painting activity, tractor rides, a returned inflatable corn maze and multiple fire pits for s’mores.

Mischief on Meridian will be held later the same day from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. downtown and is free to attend, Sarah Howell with Heart of Lebanon said. Howell described a busy, downtown trunk-or-treat-style event that attracts many vendors and large crowds: “We are bursting at the seams downtown with this event,” she said, noting the organization had 68 vendors signed up at the time of the recording.

Howell and Morton said the two events are coordinated to offer different experiences: Pumpkins in the Park is quieter and family-focused, while Mischief on Meridian is a high‑energy downtown crowd with long lines that many attendees accept as part of the experience. Organizers advised visitors to plan arrival routes — one suggestion was entering the downtown footprint from the north alley near the courthouse to help traffic flow.

Organizers described partnerships and sponsors that help defray costs and broaden programming. Sponsors named on the podcast include Lebanon IGA (s’more supplies), a donor identified as John (pumpkin donations), Timmons Feed and Farm (straw bales), State Bank (presenting sponsor for Mischief on Meridian), Ryan Holmes (costume-contest sponsor), Aegis (creepy-creatures programming), United Consulting (live music) and FA Wilhelm (teal-pumpkin program sponsorship). The Journey Ray band will perform at both Pumpkins in the Park and Mischief on Meridian, and a vehicle described as “Nitro from the Indie Fuel” is scheduled to appear downtown.

Howell described the teal-pumpkin stations, sponsored by FA Wilhelm, as an accommodation for children with food allergies or sensory sensitivities. She said stations with nonfood items will be available and that families who prefer a quieter start can arrive around 4:30 p.m., roughly a half hour before Mischief on Meridian opens to the broader public: “Those kiddos can also come a little bit early, before kind of all of the mischief really starts,” she said.

Organizers previewed additional holiday programming. The parks department and Heart of Lebanon plan a Christmas-in-the-Cabin event at Memorial Park on Dec. 6 with carriage rides and a Santa visit, followed that evening by a downtown Christmas parade. Morton said carriage-ride registration will open Nov. 3 at 5 p.m. and that the department will charge a small fee this year; she advised interested residents to watch the city’s social media pages and website for the registration link.

Organizers stressed that both events are community-driven and rely on volunteers and local sponsors to remain affordable and family friendly. They encouraged attendees to check the city and event websites or social media pages for up-to-date details, vendor lists and accessibility information.