Autumn: When pumpkins fall like leaves in the Midcoast.

When wood and aluminum and fiberglass boats are put away for the winter and pumpkin boats instead dot the Damariscotta River, it’s fall.

That's right: Summer may be over, but the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest and Regatta is about to begin.

The Twin Villages celebration of all things pumpkin (and squash) kicks off officially on Saturday, Oct. 3, when volunteer pumpkin growers drop off their monsters at Pinkham's Plantation on Biscay Road in Damariscotta to be weighed. The volunteers pumpkins are the ones that usually wind up in the water or smashed to bits over the hood of a junked used car.

At 9 a.m. on Saturday there will be a demonstration on how to build a pumpkin derby car, also at Pinkham's Plantation; then at 6:15 p.m. at Round Top Farm, there will be a “Spotlight on the Patch” concert featuring the Blake Rosso Band (there is a fee for the concert and donations are accepted).

At 10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, at Pinkham's Plantation, the big pumpkins will be weighed. The Great Pumpkin Commonwealth weigh-off will officially start at 7 a.m. when pumpkins are dropped off, and the official weigh-in will begin at 10 a.m.

This year the purse for the largest pumpkin is $10,000. Last year, Readfield's Joe Gaboury set a Maine record when his prized pumpkin tipped the scales at 1,625 pounds.

Gaboury said last year that his pumpkin was adding about 38 pounds of (mostly water) weight per day — the equivalent of a 5-year-old child every day.

Following the weigh-off, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Round Top Farm, the Damariscotta River Association will host its family fun day.

The next event will be Thursday, Oct. 8 at Skidompha Library when WGME News 13 Chief Meteorologist and pumpkin grower Charlie Lopresti gives a talk during a Chats with Champions event at the library at 10 a.m.

After 4 p.m., along Main Street, will be the pumpkin deployment, when businesses received their large pumpkins to be decorated.

At 7 p.m. at Lincoln Theater on Theater Street there will be a showing of the 1979 Steve Martin film “The Jerk.”

All day Friday will feature artists painting and decorating their pumpkins in Damariscotta, Newcastle and Boothbay Harbor. At 7 p.m. on Friday at Lincoln Theater there will be a showing of “Little Shop of Horrors” and the Peterso Project will play at 8 p.m. at Schooner Landing on Main Street.

On Saturday, Oct. 10, the Central Lincoln County YMCA will host its annual Zombie Run which gives participants the chance to dodge body parts and the undead during the race along with a kids fun run at 525 Main Street. Registration will be from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and the Zombie Run will start at 9:30 a.m. and the kids fun run begins at 10:30 a.m.

Pumpkinboat building will last all day Saturday at Pinkham's Plantation and the Boothbay Railway Village will host its 48th annual Fall Foliage Festival from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The children's story hour and crafts will go from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday at Skidompha and there will be street performers from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Theater Street.

The Kids Zone will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Water Street and the pumpkin dessert contest will begin at 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. when the desserts are dropped off at Skidompha. At 1:15 p.m. the winner will be announced.

The official pumpkin parade will begin at 2:15 p.m. and go along Main Street with the pumpkin pie eating contest immediately to follow. Will and Doug will play at the Newcastle Publick House at 8 p.m.

On Sunday, Oct. 11, the day will begin with the pumpkin pancake breakfast at the American Legion Post on Main Street at 7 p.m., and the Fall Foliage Festival will continue at the Boothbay Railway Village from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

At 8:30 a.m. on the hill near Weatherbird, there will be the pumpkin derby and the street performers and Kids Zone will continue throughout the day.

At 2 p.m. at Round Top Farm there will be the annual pumpkin hunt for kids, then at 3:15 p.m. pumpkins will be dropped onto a pair of clunkers to the tunes of the Nikki Hunt band. The Horseshoe Crabs will play at 4 p.m. at Schooner Landing and the Lincoln Theater will again be showing Little Shop of Horrors at 7 p.m.

The big event of Columbus Day weekend will begin at 11:30 a.m. (depending on tides) on Monday, Oct. 12, in the harbor during the annual pumpkin regatta.

Following the regatta, at 1:30 p.m. there will be a showing of “ParaNorman” at the Lincoln Theater.

There will be no pumpkin cannon or catapult this year.