Smokey and the pumpkins

Smokey the Bear helps celebrate the arrival of autumn at the Gasquet Fall Harvest Festival at the U.S. Forest Service Office.

Recreation manager Doug Winn, dressed as King Richard, and National Recreation Area rangers set up a pumpkin patch Oct. 18 in their restored garden and pumpkin patch.

The garden was augmented by pumpkin donations from Walmart, Ocean Air Farms, Safeway and Grocery Outlet.

Gasquet residents dressed in costumes and enjoyed a potluck meal, before children dashed to grab their own pumpkins and meet Smokey for hugs and high fives. Photos by David Hayes.