Fiery Faces lights up Petrolia with Halloween spirit

Published Oct 22, 2022 • Last updated Oct 24, 2022 • 1 minute read

Alexander Edrando, 5, carves a pumpkin Saturday at the Fiery Faces Family Day held at the YMCA Petrolia. The Fiery Faces carved pumpkin display at The Discovery site in Petrolia ran Friday to Sunday, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event is a fundraiser for the Petrolia Kiwanis. Photo by Paul Morden /The Observer

Fiery Faces’ celebration of pumpkin carving returned on the weekend with a new home as part of Petrolia’s Harvest Days events.

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It included a display of carved and lighted pumpkins at the Petrolia Discovery Boomtown Friday through Sunday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and a Fiery Faces Family Day Saturday at the Petrolia YMCA.

Carver Jim Vergunst works on a large pumpkin Saturday at the Fiery Faces Family Day held at the YMCA Petrolia. Photo by Paul Morden /The Observer

Admission was free for all of the events but the Petrolia Kiwanis Club accepted donations.

Marigold Williamson, 4, paints a stone Saturday at the Fiery Faces Family Day held at the YMCA Petrolia. Photo by Paul Morden /The Observer

Fiery Faces began about 15 years ago when Cheryl Veary, who was inspired by a New York State event known as the Great Jack-o-lantern Blaze, carved a few pumpkins with friends to light and display outside her home.

The event grew and eventually moved to the fairgrounds in Wyoming, boasting hundreds of carved pumpkins, but the display went on hiatus after that location was no longer available.

Annual family days with Halloween activities continued but were paused because of the pandemic until returning this year.

Joe Cebulski celebrates a miss while sitting in the hot seat of a dunk tank filled with water and pumpkin goop Saturday at the Fiery Faces Family Day held at the YMCA Petrolia. Photo by Paul Morden /The Observer

That one was close. Photo by Paul Morden /The Observer

Missed it by that much. Photo by Paul Morden /The Observer

Coming up for air after a direct hit Photo by Paul Morden /The Observer

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