65th ANNUAL
SYCAMORE
PUMPKIN FESTIVAL
Oct. 21-25, 2026
“A Patriotic Pumpkin Festival”
2
Daily Chronicle/ShawLocal.com/daily-chronicle.com • Saturday, October 17, 2026
SYCAMORE PUMPKIN FESTIVAL
M O A R C Y E S 20 26
P UMPK FES T N I A PAT L A V I T RIOTIC S E F IN PUMPK
STOP BY HRG FOR YOUR COMPLIMENTARY CANDY BAG!
Todd Madden | 815-342-0355
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2026 | 10 AM - 2 PM 3 3 0 W E L M S T | S YC A M O R E , I L 6 0178 | 815 - 9 91- 92 9 3 | H R G S E L L S .C O M SM-CL2352330
3
Sycamore Pumpkin Festival adds lumberjack shows for its 65th year Sycamore, and end at 1 p.m. Oct. 25 after the Pumpkin Festival Parade. On Saturday, lumberjack shows – which are new for 2026 – will be held at 11 a.m., 1 and 2 p.m. in downtown Sycamore, according to the festival’s schedule. By CAMDEN LAZENBY Rob Dancey, president of the Sycaclazenby@shawmedia.com more Pumpkin Festival committee, said organizers “wanted to step things up The 2026 Sycamore Pumpkin Festival and bring new, exciting entertainment” will feature new entertainment while to Pumpkin Fest visitors. paying homage to the nation’s 250th He said the group behind the lumberbirthday. jack shows is from northern Minnesota. The five-day festival will open with a He said they’re expected to bring “a cake-cutting event at 5 p.m. Oct. 21 high-energy experience,” including logdowntown on North Maple Street in rolling, boom running, axe throwing,
Also new this year: SpartanTV to livestream Sunday Pumpkin Parade
hot saw races, cross-cut saw competitions, obstacle pole races and more. At 3 p.m. Saturday, an interactive lumberjack camp for children will be held. “It’s something we haven’t had at the festival before, and I think people will really enjoy watching these incredible athletes showcase their skills,” Dancey said in an email. Dancey, who became the festival committee president in 2025, said his perspective on the Sycamore tradition has changed since becoming the organization’s leader 11 months ago. “When you’re leading something this large and something that holds such a
special place in the hearts of so many people, you quickly realize just how many moving parts there are,” Dancey said. Among the festival’s many moving parts is the parade, and in 2026 it will be live-streamed via the Sycamore School District 427’s SpartanTV YouTube Channel. “There is an enormous amount of planning, coordination, and work that goes into creating a successful festival – much of which happens long before the first event begins,” Dancey said. The annual Sycamore festival will
See festival on page 4
SYCAMORE PUMPKIN FESTIVAL Daily Chronicle/ShawLocal.com/daily-chronicle.com • Saturday, October 17, 2026
Mark Busch file photo
Visitors check out some of the pumpkin entries on the DeKalb County Courthouse lawn during the 2024 Sycamore Pumpkin Festival.
• FESTIVAL Continued from page 3 feature hundreds of pumpkins, most of which will be displayed on the DeKalb County Courthouse lawn. Some of those pumpkins will be entered into a contest based on this year’s festival theme, “A Patriotic Pumpkin Festival.” North Grove Elementary School student Rayna Hochstatter, 10, entered the 2026 contest and was chosen as the winner. As the winner, she will participate in the cake-cutting ceremony and ride in the parade Sunday. Dancey said the theme “is a perfect fit as we celebrate our country’s 250th anniversary alongside Pumpkin Fest’s 65th anniversary.” “With such a meaningful combination of milestones, I think the creativity and unique designs people come up with will be especially exciting to see,” Dancey said. Ethan Wargo, a Sycamore resident and 5th grade student at North Grove Elementary, is the festival’s grand marshal. His compliment stand became a national good-news story in the summer of 2025. Terri Crain Goodman, who volun-
Mark Busch file photo
Ethan Wargo, 9, and his twin sister, Claire, sit at their free compliments stand in front of their Sycamore home on July 24, 2025. Ethan offered free compliments to anyone who stopped by. teered as a festival committee member from 2015 until 2026, is the 2026 Friend of the Festival. She has served as the committee’s president, secretary, Saturday entertainment chair and parade co-chair. At least 28 nonprofit vendors will
attend the festival, which provides an opportunity for DeKalb County organizations to participate in fundraising, community education and enrichment. “When you visit our Pumpkin Festival, I hope you’ll come ready to do more than simply watch – you’ll come
ready to participate, connect, and enjoy being part of something special,” Dancey said. “Most importantly, take the time to enjoy the people around you. Smile at a volunteer, cheer on a participant, discover something new, and let the kids enjoy the excitement.”
Pumpkin Fest & Halloween Vision Safety Tips
1. Choose makeup over masks that can restrict view. Use fresh disposable applicators for each child. Keep makeup particles and applicators out of childʻs eyes. 2. Decorate costumes with iron-on or sew-on reflective fabric, tape or self-stick decals. 3. Be sure steps are repaired, railings tightened and holes in the yard are filled.
See Dr. Michele Jurkovic , 4. Turn porch and yard lights on. Clear lawn of equipment Optometrist of loose objects. 2810 DeKalb Ave. Sycamore, IL 60178 5. Drivers who have difficulty
758-2020
seeing at night should avoid driving on Halloween.
SM-CL1928059
Daily Chronicle/ShawLocal.com/daily-chronicle.com • Saturday, October 17, 2026
SYCAMORE PUMPKIN FESTIVAL
4
5
Theme winner shines as Pumpkin Fest approaches By CAMDEN LAZENBY clazenby@shawmedia.com When the 2026 Sycamore Pumpkin Festival transforms the town into something out of a scene from a Freeform family movie, a local mother expects to see hints of her daughter everywhere she looks. In May, Emily Hochstatter watched her daughter, Rayna Hochstatter, 10, win one of the most coveted prizes for Sycamore children: the Pumpkin Festival theme contest. Rayna’s winning entry was “A Patriotic Pumpkin Festival.” When festival advertisements began circulating in public, Emily said she could see her daughter’s idea coming to life. “Seeing little hints of Rayna’s theme, it’s like there’s a piece of Rayna out there everywhere I look during Pumpkin Fest, and that’s what I’m really excited for,” Emily Hochstatter said. “There’s a little piece of Rayna everywhere we look.” The theme, chosen for its nod to America’s semiquincentennial birthday, was created out of Rayna’s appreciation for the Fourth of July and Halloween. By winning the theme contest, the North Grove Elementary School student will be a festival dignitary. She’ll take part in marquee events, such as the festival opening cake-cutting on Oct. 21 and riding in the parade on
Oct. 25. “I’m feeling really excited, and well, there’s no really other words to explain my feelings right now,” Rayna Hochstatter said. “The thing that I’m looking most forward to is riding on a float, just being up there, waving ‘Hi’ to everyone down below.” Her mother said she was also looking forward to the festival. “I really am excited about this for Rayna,” Emily Hochstatter said. “She has two amazing sisters, one big sister and one little sister, and it’s always fun when you see Rayna do her own unique thing. And I think this really captures that for her.” Rayna credited her mom and sister Annabelle, a runner-up theme winner in 2025 and 2026, for helping her create the winning theme. “My relationship with the theme also kind of affects my feelings with everyone that helped me with the theme,” Rayna Hochstatter said. For the Hochstatter family, who’ve lived in the area for nearly two decades, the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival is an annual tradition. “This is one of the things we look forward to every single year. It’s something that really draws us in, and we invite people in, and it’s something that we feel really connected to,” Emily Hochstatter said. “This year, Rayna is so excited to be part of every single piece of it, essentially, and to really be at the heart of it. It’s fantastic to see.”
SYCAMORE PUMPKIN FESTIVAL Daily Chronicle/ShawLocal.com/daily-chronicle.com • Saturday, October 17, 2026
Photo provided by Emily Hochstatter
Rayna Hochstatter, 10, won the 2026 Sycamore Pumpkin Festival theme contest with her entry, “A Patriotic Pumpkin Festival.”
Daily Chronicle/ShawLocal.com/daily-chronicle.com • Saturday, October 17, 2026
SYCAMORE PUMPKIN FESTIVAL
6
Kelsey Rettke
Students from Sycamore Middle and St. Mary’s schools won top honors in the Sycamore Kiwanis Club’s annual writing contest for the 2026 Sycamore Pumpkin Festival. Pictured (from left) are Kira King, 11; Hannah Tallacksen, 13; Celina Wu, 12; Myles Johnson, 11; Clare Lehan, 11; and Stella Bailey, 11. They celebrated their winning writing on Monday, Oct. 5, at Johnson’s Pumpkin Stand and Corn Maze in Sycamore.
Let us chase away the creepy cobwebs, banish the dust and leave your house spooktacularly clean! Leading the Pack in Home Comfort Since 1991
815-691-1991
KMHeatingandCooling.com
Thank You for Voting Us One of the Best Heating and Air Conditioning Companies in DeKalb County! Our Residential Services Include: • New Installs And Replacements • Indoor Air Quality • Duct Cleaning • Humidification • Ductwork • Ductless Mini Splits • Heat Pumps • Preventative Maintenance Plans • ComEd and Nicor Rebates
shine l l i w ouse full moon h r u Yo an a ight. h t r e t brigh haunted n 1 on a 5-221 5-89
1 Call 8 mention ra and st” fo nt. e F n i ou pk “Pum good disc fully fright
2026 winners for poems, stories, essays come from Sycamore Middle and St. Mary’s schools SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com Six Sycamore students will get a chance to ride in the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival parade after their essays, poems and short stories were chosen as part of the Sycamore Kiwanis Club’s Junior Marshal Essay Contest. The theme this year is “A Patriotic Pumpkin Festival.” This year’s contest saw 48 entries, including 16 from St. Mary’s Catholic School and 32 from Sycamore Middle School, organizers said. Participants included 31 sixth graders, nine seventh graders and eight eighth graders. The annual writing contest picks the top two winners from each category. They get the opportunity to be junior marshals and ride on the Kiwanis Club’s float during the parade Sunday, Oct. 25. The Kiwanis writing contest began in 1972. This year, judges read 15 poems, 27 stories and six essays to pick the top spots for the honor. First-place winners receive $100 each, and second-place winners earn $75 each. Winners were treated to lunch at Culver’s and had their picture taken at Johnson’s Pumpkin Patch in Sycamore. Here are the winning entries:
Thrilling rides and festive food, too With skies the perfect striking blue Pumpkin Fest is never far When you live in Sycamore
Second place Myles Johnson
Sycamore Middle School, 6th grade It was a quiet night, nothing was wrong But something was happening on the courthouse lawn, All of the pumpkins were just sitting there But by morning they had all vanished into thin air. Something was afoot, something was astir, In the morning people thought it was a Saboteur, The pumpkins were loaded up into the back of a truck, The person accused said it was just luck A coincidence, a fluke, he conveyed He explained they were all being betrayed. “Look behind you!” he said. Behind them was a rider on a horse with a pumpkin head “After him!” The sheriff shouted. “He must be banished!” Behind them the rider vanished. The story is a myth to this day Left for 50 years for the truth to decay.
STORIES First place
POEMS
Hannah Tallacksen
First place
“The Seed”
Clare Lehan
St. Mary’s School, 6th grade
“The Orange Glow of Sycamore” People gather from all around Our little town they surround To see all of our inspiring creations Born from our imaginations People cheer “Let the fun begin!” Our hearts all bursting from delight within
Sycamore Middle School, 8th grade Emily trudged outside, holding a single pumpkin seed. Her grandfather had insisted that she plant it. She didn’t want to – she thought it was a waste of time. Reluctantly, she put the seed in the ground and sprinkled water over it. By October, Emily had forgotten about it. But she wanted to make a pumpkin for Pumpkin Fest, so she harvested one from the garden and
carved it.º At the festival, Emily and her grandfather admired the pumpkin displays. Then she remembered. “Grandpa, why did you want me to plant that seed?” she asked. Her grandfather smiled. “During the Great Depression, my father’s family was struggling to make ends meet. They grew their own food, and my father took care of a pumpkin plant. The seed that I gave you is from one of the pumpkins that my father grew. It gave him food – but most importantly, it gave him hope.” “But why did you keep the seed?” Emily questioned. “It’s important that we pass on our history,” her grandfather replied. When Pumpkin Fest was over, Emily retrieved her pumpkin. As she held it, she realized that it wasn’t just an ordinary pumpkin. It was a reminder of her home.
Second place Kira King
Sycamore Middle School, 6th grade
“Eddie the different pumpkin” Eddie was different from all the other pumpkins with his red, white, and blue skin. He alienated all of the other pumpkins because he wanted to be just like them. Eddie always saw all the other pumpkins telling each other stories, playing, and filled with joy. He wondered if he would ever feel that same joy. On what felt like any other day, Eddie rolled to the other side of the pumpkin patch. Suddenly, Eddie spotted another pumpkin that looked just like him. He thought he was looking into a mirror.
See marshal on page 8
MAKE IT D A AN DINNER
! E I V O M
o, orites to g v fa r u o y Grab next door. w o h s e th y then enjo e Next to th State Sycamore ater! Street The
Hours Monday -Thursday 11am - 9 pm
Friday and Saturday 11 am - 9 pm
418 W State Street, Sycamore, IL 60178
Sunday 11 am - 8 pm
SYCAMORE PUMPKIN FESTIVAL Daily Chronicle/ShawLocal.com/daily-chronicle.com • Saturday, October 17, 2026
Kiwanis awards top writers in annual Pumpkin Festival Junior Marshal contest
7
Daily Chronicle/ShawLocal.com/daily-chronicle.com • Saturday, October 17, 2026
SYCAMORE PUMPKIN FESTIVAL
8
• MARSHAL Continued from page 7 Hi, my name is Jason, he said with a bright smile! Hi, my name is Eddie! They became the best of friends instantly. Like two puzzle pieces that connected together perfectly. Eddie realized being different wasn’t something to be sad about. Because sometimes being different helps you find someone who understands you best.
ESSAYS First place Celina Wu
Sycamore Middle School, 8th grade
“What is Pumpkin Fest?” When I sat down to write this essay, I had one thought in mind. How exactly do I describe Pumpkin Fest? Is it perhaps a celebration of pumpkins? Or maybe it’s an annual event where people gather? Maybe it’s a pumpkin painting contest? But the answer is that it’s all that and much, much more. Younger me was in love with the pumpkin festival. From the pumpkins to everything else, I was utterly enticed by it. Every single year I would wait in anticipation for this one event, all giddy and excited. When it finally came time, I would be over the moon. As I grew older, less of the anticipation came, but I still felt the same way about Pumpkin Fest. For me, Pumpkin Fest is a magical experience. For me, Pumpkin Fest is something that is just filled with the
feeling of nostalgia. For me, Pumpkin Fest is a loved and cherished event. For me, Pumpkin Fest is something that, as I grow older, will continue to remember. Pumpkin Fest is something that describes Sycamore. And I hope that in the future many more kids, just like me, will continue to go there in wonder.
Second place Stella Bailey St. Mary’s School, 6th grade
“Pumpkin Fest” In 5000 B.C. to 7000 B.C. pumpkins were introduced to us by indigenous people. We use pumpkins for Halloween because the Irish immigrants found it easier to carve than turnips, they found pumpkins to be larger than turnips, softer and easier to carve, and they found it already hollow, so it would be easier to put candles in the pumpkin. We decorate pumpkins now to celebrate the autumn agriculture, artistic expression, and as a cleaner alternative for carving. Carving a pumpkin has an interesting story behind it. The story is called “Stingy Jack.” It’s about a guy who tricked the devil many times, then when he passed, God wouldn’t let him in heaven and the annoyed devil wouldn’t let him in hell. So the theory is that his soul wanders. So now we carve pumpkins to stay safe from his soul. But the story is just a theory and is probably not true. Halloween is a great time to establish your creativity on a pumpkin.
Mark Busch file photo
A scary pumpkin sits among the fallen leaves during opening day of the 2025 Sycamore Pumpkin Festival.
SM-CL2343646
Call 844-377-3452 to schedule your free quote today!
SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com This year’s Historic Homes Tour, featuring notable houses around town, keeps with the theme “A Patriotic Pumpkin Festival,” and a local exhibit, “We the People of DeKalb County,” with the theme “Red, White, and Blue Houses.” In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, organizers will feature some of Sycamore’s most colorful and interesting historic homes. The tour will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. Tickets may be reserved online at dekalbcountyhistory.org and can be picked up from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, or starting at 9 a.m. the day of the House Walk, Oct. 24. Tickets are only available at the DeKalb County History Center, 1730 N. Main St. in Sycamore. Tickets cannot be purchased at the individual locations. Any trip around Sycamore reveals many distinctive home designs in a large variety of interesting, decorative styles.
912 Somonauk St. This year’s tour will offer six sites, including two red, two white, and two blue locations, each with an individual story to tell. Also included in the tour is the DeKalb County History Center with the
Photos provided by DeKalb County History Center
827 Somonauk St. new campus expansion, including the renovated and stabilized historic corn crib, pavilion, public art installations, and walking paths commemorating DeKalb County agricultural history. Ticket holders are invited to tour the
special exhibit “We the People of DeKalb County” and explore additions to the History Center Campus, along with visiting the homes.
SYCAMORE
1440 Somonauk St., Sycamore, IL 60178 Maintain your independence, wellness and happiness while living at Grand Victorian of Sycamore. When you need assistance, our caring team is always ready to help you. • • •
Private studio and onebedroom apartments are available Private bathroom Range of social, educational, wellness programs and events
• • • •
Ongoing health monitoring Assistance with transportation Award-winning care Pet friendly
Call today! 815-895-1900
www.gv-sycamore.com
See homes tour on page 10
SYCAMORE PUMPKIN FESTIVAL Daily Chronicle/ShawLocal.com/daily-chronicle.com • Saturday, October 17, 2026
Historic Homes tour celebrates USA’s colors
9
Daily Chronicle/ShawLocal.com/daily-chronicle.com • Saturday, October 17, 2026
SYCAMORE PUMPKIN FESTIVAL
10
• HOMES TOUR Continued from page 9 Here are the stops on the tour:
912 Somonauk St.
The deep blue Andrew Palmer house at 912 Somonauk St. is a bit deceptive on the outside. It looks like a simple early 20th-century American Foursquare, but inside, visitors will find four levels of comfortable family living and excellent carpentry. The previous owner was a master carpenter who resurrected and restructured the house into a family space, including an attic bedroom, accessed by ladder, and an in-ground pool and brick patio built on the double lot in the back.
827 Somonauk St.
One block away is 827 Somonauk St., a beautiful red home, first built in 1859 for Chauncey Ellwood, early mayor of Sycamore. The décor reflects the patriotic theme. The original house had only four rooms, two upstairs and two downstairs. It has been renovated many times over the years. The home is also connected to several illustrious residents, including Ester Mae Nesbitt, who is featured in the current History
455 Somonauk St. Center exhibit. The pond in back is named after manufacturer Frank Patten, who lived there for many years and invited children to swim and ice skate on the property. The current owners have made several additions, along with installing much original artwork.
302 Somonauk St.
445 Somonauk St.
Just down the street is the beautifully restored and reimagined white home at 445 Somonauk St., originally moved there in 1885 from West State Street to make way for the railroad. The Varty family owned the home in the 1940s. Their son, Robert Varty, a
World War II soldier, is also featured in the “We the People of DeKalb County” exhibit. The current owners have made the home comfortable and contemporary while retaining many of the home’s original features.
See homes tour on page 11
11
• HOMES TOUR 302 Somonauk St.
The historic Blue Door Church at 302 Somonauk St. is a natural inclusion for this year’s patriotic tour, as it has red, white, and blue themes. Originally built for the Sycamore Congregational Church, it was designed by famous architect George O. Garnsey, who designed many DeKalb County buildings, including the historic Isaac Ellwood House in DeKalb. There are stained glass windows in every room, ringing the perimeter of the structure. The original sliding walls, designed to allow all members of the congregation to vote on important matters, still operate. The original choir loft is still there, as well as the curved pews. It has been home to several other congregations over the years and holds much Sycamore history.
704 W. State St.
The white house at 704 W. State St. was part of the original George Weeden property. The land was purchased by John Warford in 1889 and was owned by the Warford family until 1950, when the youngest daughter, Lillie, died. The home changed hands several times over
704 W. State St. the years. Eventually, it was cut into apartments, and it even served as a beauty shop. The current owners bought the house in 1996 and have since renovated and revitalized it as a family space adorned with original artwork.
740 W. State St.
The property at 740 W. State St. is the estate of William Marsh, inventor and manufacturer of the Marsh Har-
SOFTWATERCITY CITY INC Water Conditioning and Purification
• Metered Water Conditioners • Bottled Water & Coolers • Drinking Water Systems • Salt & Water Delivery
“WISHING YOU A SAFE & HAPPY HALLOWEEN SEASON”
SM-CL2277364
440 DeKalb Avenue • Sycamore, IL 60178 815.895.6666 • softwatercity@yahoo.com www.SoftWaterCityInc.com
740 W. State St. vester, the first machine to harvest grain without having workers cutting and binding it by hand. With his brother Charles, Marsh opened the first factory in Sycamore, now occupied and reclaimed by Blumen Gardens. The stately red brick Italianate home, topped with a distinctive white cupola, was built in 1873. It originally sat on a 12-acre parcel that contained an enclosed park with many native ani-
mals. Six families have owned the property. The new owner is working on recovering some of the original wallpaper and flooring. Woodwork can be found throughout the home, including a hand-painted transom over the front door. The property features a swimming pool and a bomb shelter in the basement, though they’re off-limits for the tour.
SYCAMORE PUMPKIN FESTIVAL Daily Chronicle/ShawLocal.com/daily-chronicle.com • Saturday, October 17, 2026
Continued from page 10
Daily Chronicle/ShawLocal.com/daily-chronicle.com • Saturday, October 17, 2026
SYCAMORE PUMPKIN FESTIVAL
12
24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE
- Heating & Cooling Service & Installation - Gas Fireplace Service & Installation -
- Indoor Air Quality Products - Free In-Home Estimates on Replacements -
24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE
ALL 95%+ FURNACES QUALIFY - Heating & Cooling Service & Installation - Gas Fireplace Service & Installation -
- Indoor Air Quality Products - Free In-Home Estimates on Replacements -
FOR NICOR REBATES! FOR NICOR REBATES! ALL 95%+ FURNACES QUALIFY
PLUS GET 0% 0% INTEREST INTEREST PLUS YOU’LL YOU’LL GET
ON TR A N E A&N TRANE D R H E EEQUIPMENT!* M EQUIPMENT!* ONOUR OUR RUUD *With approved credit
815.895.5470
$20 OFF
FREE ON/OFF
Smith-Dahlquist, Inc.
Smith-Dahlquist, Inc. Expires 12/31/26
EVERYDAY FURNACE TUNE-UP RATE Expires 12/31/26
REMOTE W/ GAS FIREPLACE
994 Crosby Avenue, SyCamore, IL - www.DahlquistHeating.com - like us on social media
SM-CL2113810