WEEDSPORT - Burritt's Cafe wanted to get the community and its children in the Halloween spirit.

The cafe organized its first pumpkin carving contest on Saturday for children who wanted to bring in already painted or carved pumpkins. The pumpkins would then be judged by age group and the winners of each age group would receive a prize.

And while only one painted pumpkin was showcased during the hour-long event, organizers Paige Jordan and Nicole Castro are not discouraged from organizing a sophomore event next Halloween.

“I'm pretty disappointed,” said Jordan, the very first employee hired by the owners of the 19-month-old establishment located at 8914 N. Seneca Street in Weedsport. “But it's kind of hard with other places having events. We can hope for better next year and hope that people come in.”

The pumpkin carving contest was just one of at least nine Halloween-themed events for children and adults in Cayuga County Saturday.

But it was one event 3-year-old Lauren McCarthy of Weedsport didn't want to miss.

McCarthy and her painted pumpkin - an old man with a white beard, glasses and white hair - were escorted into the cafe by her parents' best friend, Tim Jedra, of Port Byron, and his friend, Tracey Shults of Syracuse.

“She's all excited,” Jedra, an employee of Burritt's, said. “She's been hounding me all week. 'When are we going to paint the old man?'”

Being the only contestant, she won a gift basket filled with Play Doh, bubbles and a whoopee cushion. Jordan also included in the basket a glow stick that parents could stick on their child's wrist or trick or treat bag while going door to door on Halloween night.

The “judges” of the event were Burritt's regulars endearingly dubbed the “Board of Directors.” Sally and Terry Salisbury and Ron Ward, all of Weedsport, said they were disappointed that they couldn't judge more pumpkins, but still managed to have a good time.

“Too many kids are playing on their computers than carving pumpkins,” said Terry Salisbury jokingly.

The point of this event, said Jordan, is “to try to get more community involvement, get more people in (to the cafe) and do something with kids. We don't really have anything directed towards the kids in the community.”

Jordan is looking to include adults in next year's contest. But Castro will be looking forward to what the children bring in.

“I've never seen a a pumpkin painted on the outside with glasses and hair,” she said. “It's so creative.

“I want to see the different ideas children come up with,” she added. “They have such creative minds.”

Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at alyssa.sunkin@lee.net or 253-5311 ext. 239