The pumpkin festival is a great community building and family fun event that has gone on for the last 24 years. In the last two years the students of Keene State College have turned this event into a huge reason to have huge parties and disrupt the community. This year was tons of rioting, police had to use tear gas, swat gear and there were multiple injuries. As a person who has grown up in Keene I would hate to see this event go because young adults cannot hold their own and be responsible for their own actions.

If the president of the college holds the students and their guests accountable for their actions students will be less likely to act out at next year's pumpkinfest. If the campus is closed for that weekend, there will be less college students which will eliminate some of the partying. If it shouldn't be closed, than do not allow students to have guest visit for that weekend!

As a community member and parent, please sign this petition to help continue the pumpkin fest without the need for police force. Let's make this event about the community again and not about young adults feeling the need to be irresponsible and get drunk.