The city is leaving its Great Pumpkin in front of City Hall, passing on the county's offer to let the giant jack-o'-lantern return to the courthouse lawn on the Square, the Denton Record-Chronicle reported, citing people with knowledge of the decision.
The pumpkin was moved off the lawn of the historic courthouse earlier this month, a change that drew public pushback after former council member Brian Beck posted about it on Facebook. Beck said he had been told city staff were coordinating with the county and had nearly finished setting the pumpkin up on the Square when the county judge's office stopped it.
After the backlash, Denton County spokesperson Dawn Cobb said last week that the pumpkin could go back on the Square this year, and asked the city to coordinate with the county ahead of time on future events held on county property. Cobb has said the city did not give the county advance notice so it could plan for electrical access, landscape irrigation, other county infrastructure and other scheduled events.
Kayla Herrod, the city's chief communications officer, said the city had no official comment. Mayor Chris Watts was out of town Monday and could not be reached, the newspaper reported.
The pumpkin was on display outside City Hall on Thursday night during the rescheduled Blocktober Party, which kicked off the third year of 31 Days of Halloween. During the party, Watts rode a Denton fire engine's aerial ladder and launched several pumpkins toward the ground in the Quakertown Civic Center parking lot. Costumed characters, from Buzz Lightyear to a stilt-walking werewolf and an inflatable T. rex, mingled with the crowd.
