By CARRI GRAHAM Times Leader Staff Writer BARNESVILLE — The “voice of the Barnesville Pumpkin Festival” has been attending and participating in the annual event for more than 40 years, helping to keep the festival’s traditions going. John Rataiczak is a familiar face in the Ohio Valley, being a lifelong resident of Belmont County, a board member of the Barnesville Area Chamber of Commerce and also the voice of the Blame My Roots Festival, just to name a few. He has performed the duties of the pumpkin festival’s voice since around 2016. The festival means a lot to Rataiczak and the community. Being able to act as the festival’s voice has been an honor, he said. His favorite part is being able to get people excited while keeping them informed about what is happening. “I love to announce the parade. I prepare for it. I try to make it entertaining, I incorporate some music in the beginning to get the crowd amped up. We do several O-H-I-Os. I just see my role, before the parade, to get the crowd excited and during the parade, to let everyone know what’s going on,” he said, adding that a few years ago the festival committee, chamber of commerce and the village invested in a sound system with speakers stationed on the light posts along Main and Chestnut streets. “So no matter where you are during the parade, you’ll be able to hear it. Really no other village has that. ... It really shows how Barnesville comes together. The chamber stepped up, the village stepped up, the Pumpkin Festival Committee stepped up and made it all happen.” The sound system is not only used for the festival but also to play music for Friday night football games and for other events. This year marks the 58th annual festival, which not only provides pumpkin fun and entertainment to thousands of attendees but gives the community a sense of togetherness. “The best thing about the festival is its tradition. Everybody loves to see what’s going to happen with the pumpkins, they love all the food, the fun contests like the hog calling, tobacco spitting, pie baking and talent. It’s just a good, old-fashioned festival that’s set on the streets of a Victorian, Hallmark-like town as a backdrop,” he said. Rataiczak said he first visited, and participated, in the festival in 1979 when he marched in the parade as a student of Bellaire High School. He became more involved with the festival after he started working for WesBanco in 2006. Since then, he said, he has had nothing but admiration for the festival committee members who volunteer their time and energy to make the festival what it is today. “I’m so impressed with the committee because it’s all volunteer. They all know their jobs, and they all do it very well and it comes together. This beautiful festival that entertains 100,000 people. It amazes me. They all volunteer for the love of the festival and the love of the village,” he said. Though there is much to love about the festival including the food, crafts and businesses, the impressive giant pumpkins are one of Rataiczak’s favorite aspects of the event. He encourages people to come out and get a picture in front of the pumpkins. “I think this is the No. 2 selfie destination in the entire state of Ohio, second only to the Ohio (State University football) stadium. I love seeing the pictures of people in front of them and how proud they look,” he said, pointing to children excitedly waiting to have their photos taken Thursday next to the King Pumpkin, a massive 2,405-pound gourd. Rataiczak also spoke highly of the festival’s free entertainment. “When you think that you can come to Barnesville, enjoy the atmosphere, enjoy the food, see the pumpkins and then sit and relax and watch a band perform — all totally free of charge — it’s a wonderful blessing,” he said. Rataiczak was born and raised in Bellaire and now resides in Morristown. He has worked in the village for the past 16 years as the banking center manager of the village’s WesBanco location.

BARNESVILLE — The “voice of the Barnesville Pumpkin Festival” has been attending and participating in the annual event for more than 40 years, helping to keep the festival’s traditions going.

John Rataiczak is a familiar face in the Ohio Valley, being a lifelong resident of Belmont County, a board member of the Barnesville Area Chamber of Commerce and also the voice of the Blame My Roots Festival, just to name a few. He has performed the duties of the pumpkin festival’s voice since around 2016.

The festival means a lot to Rataiczak and the community. Being able to act as the festival’s voice has been an honor, he said. His favorite part is being able to get people excited while keeping them informed about what is happening.

“I love to announce the parade. I prepare for it. I try to make it entertaining, I incorporate some music in the beginning to get the crowd amped up. We do several O-H-I-Os. I just see my role, before the parade, to get the crowd excited and during the parade, to let everyone know what’s going on,” he said, adding that a few years ago the festival committee, chamber of commerce and the village invested in a sound system with speakers stationed on the light posts along Main and Chestnut streets.

“So no matter where you are during the parade, you’ll be able to hear it. Really no other village has that. … It really shows how Barnesville comes together. The chamber stepped up, the village stepped up, the Pumpkin Festival Committee stepped up and made it all happen.”

The sound system is not only used for the festival but also to play music for Friday night football games and for other events.

This year marks the 58th annual festival, which not only provides pumpkin fun and entertainment to thousands of attendees but gives the community a sense of togetherness.

“The best thing about the festival is its tradition. Everybody loves to see what’s going to happen with the pumpkins, they love all the food, the fun contests like the hog calling, tobacco spitting, pie baking and talent. It’s just a good, old-fashioned festival that’s set on the streets of a Victorian, Hallmark-like town as a backdrop,” he said.

Rataiczak said he first visited, and participated, in the festival in 1979 when he marched in the parade as a student of Bellaire High School. He became more involved with the festival after he started working for WesBanco in 2006. Since then, he said, he has had nothing but admiration for the festival committee members who volunteer their time and energy to make the festival what it is today.

“I’m so impressed with the committee because it’s all volunteer. They all know their jobs, and they all do it very well and it comes together. This beautiful festival that entertains 100,000 people. It amazes me. They all volunteer for the love of the festival and the love of the village,” he said.

Though there is much to love about the festival including the food, crafts and businesses, the impressive giant pumpkins are one of Rataiczak’s favorite aspects of the event. He encourages people to come out and get a picture in front of the pumpkins.

“I think this is the No. 2 selfie destination in the entire state of Ohio, second only to the Ohio (State University football) stadium. I love seeing the pictures of people in front of them and how proud they look,” he said, pointing to children excitedly waiting to have their photos taken Thursday next to the King Pumpkin, a massive 2,405-pound gourd.

Rataiczak also spoke highly of the festival’s free entertainment.

“When you think that you can come to Barnesville, enjoy the atmosphere, enjoy the food, see the pumpkins and then sit and relax and watch a band perform — all totally free of charge — it’s a wonderful blessing,” he said.

Rataiczak was born and raised in Bellaire and now resides in Morristown. He has worked in the village for the past 16 years as the banking center manager of the village’s WesBanco location.