The Pumpkin King is remembered in music

By Christy Marsters

The Hants Journal/NovaNewsNow.com



Vonetta Chouinard of Ton Veta’s Country Music was planning for an Apple Harvest Festival at the Exhibition Arena in Windsor when she first met the Pumpkin King.

That day, Howard Dill and his story of the giant pumpkins, impressed Chouinard enough to buy some of Dill’s world famous pumpkin seeds. As well, Chouinard’s country music lineup amazed Dill enough to want to see the future showing scheduled in Port Williams.

Chouinard said she had planted the seeds she purchased from the Dill’s and raised a large pumpkin, the size of a washtub, before an early frost had hit and ruined all her hard work.

But, Howard Dill would not make it to the festival in Port Williams; he passed away before he had a chance to do so. However, Chouinard has provided tickets to Dill’s family to attend in his place and has decided to dedicate this entire festival as a memorial to Howard Dill.

There’ll be many pumpkin-themed decorations up during the show, Chouinard said. “The stage will be decorated with loads of pumpkin things… and his wife is going to be there.”

Ton Veta’s Country Music Concert -- dedicated to Howard Dill -- will take place at the Lions Centre in Port Williams at 8 p.m. Oct. 25. Tickets are on sale for $20 at The Tin Pan in Port Williams, the Vaughan Market in Windsor and the Fireside Café in Canning.

Hilda Dill, Howard’s wife, said when Chouinard came to her door and passed her the tickets to the event she thought it was simply wonderful. “It was very nice of her.

“Oh yes, I’m going,” Hilda Dill said. “I’m really looking forward to the entertainment.

“Howard Dill was a humble man,” she added. “He’d be humbled by the memorial event.”

Folks lined up for Ton Veta’s Country Music event include Don Haggart, Cathy Ryan, Keith Delong, Paul Belanger, David Anderson and Ken Best with the Silverado Band. Ken Best, a friend of Howard’s, is known for an original song attributed to Dill entitled “Pumpkin Harvest Time in the Valley,” and he will perform this song in Port Williams.

To purchase a copy of “Pumpkin Harvest Time in the Valley” call Ken Best at 679-6595.

To purchase tickets for Ton Veta’s Country Music Pumpkin festival event or to find out more information about the upcoming show contact Vonetta Chouinard at 686-3876.