The time has come for fall's harvest to be plucked from the vine.

The seventh annual Damariscotta Pumpkin Festival and Regatta began October 5 with the weighing of the pumpkin and the events will continue through the week until Monday, Oct. 14, with the regatta.

Event co-founder Buzz Pinkham, who along with Bill Clark, began showcasing the large orange squash nine years ago with the first regatta and seven years ago with the first festival, said Thursday will feature the overgrown pumpkins going on display downtown.

The bulk of the action will be centered around downtown Damariscotta and Newcastle in what has become the Twin Villages biggest weekend of the year.

“I've said it takes a village to grow a pumpkin,” Pinkham said. “Really, it takes a pumpkin to grow a village.”

As of October 8, Pinkham and Clark were busy loading and prepping pumpkins at Pinkham's Plantation. Some of the large pumpkins destined for the water had seeds removed and preserved and some of the display pumpkins had special procedures to ensure they will last throughout the month.

There will be several events on Friday and Saturday, but Sunday starts the pumpkin sports at 9:30 a.m. on Bayview Road at Great Salt Bay in Nobleboro with the pumpkin hurl and catapult competition. At 3 p.m. Sunday the pumpkin hunt and 180-foot pumpkin drop will take place at Round Top Farm.

Monday, Oct. 14 ends Pumpkin Festival with the regatta at 9 a.m. at the Damariscotta town landing.