There will be plenty of chances to celebrate the autumn season in downtown Westbrook this month – and to even pay a celebratory tribute to Wessie, the city’s already legendary snake, as the cold weather sets in.

On two consecutive weekends, Blue Note Park and downtown Main Street will be at the center of the action, first hosting an event called “Wessie Fest” on Saturday, Oct. 22, followed by the return of Halloween on Main Street and Pumpkins in the Park on Friday, Oct. 28.

Wessie Fest 

The first-ever Wessie Fest, organized by the Downtown Westbrook Coalition, will feature a day full of quirky fun as an homage to the summer’s biggest story – Wessie, the 10-foot-long snake reportedly lurking in the Presumpscot River.

Featured events include a “Wessie Pie-Thon” pie baking contest, “Wessie Toss” corn hole, a sidewalk parade, photos with a live snake, crafts and vendors including the International Cryptozoology Museum. The festival will run from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in Blue Note Park in Westbrook Common.

Starting at noon, food trucks like Classic Sliders and Great Scott Gourmet Grilled Cheese will be on site, and the tasting room at Mast Landing Brewing Co. will be open.

At 2 p.m., Bill Brock of the hit TV show, “Monsters Underground,” will host a talk about Wessie and other mysterious creatures, followed by a “Wessie Hunt” at 3 p.m.

Abigail Cioffi, the coordinator of the downtown coalition, said Tuesday that she’s expecting a good turnout for Wessie Fest, with a solid social media buzz surrounding the event despite no recent updates on the status of the real (or hoax) snake.

“We’re hoping for a few hundred people at least,” she said.

Mike Rich, a well-known graffiti artist, is also set to be putting the final touches Friday on a “Greetings from Westbrook” mural inspired by the iconic postcard imagery along the side of Greater Portland School of Jukado.

Halloween on Main Street 

After a one-year hiatus, the family-favorite Halloween on Main Street is back, and according to longtime organizer Suzanne Joyce, it is shaping up to be “better than ever.”

Last year, the Westbrook-Gorham Community Chamber, which has organized the event since the late 1990s, scrapped it due to the Bridge Street bridge construction and associated traffic. The Halloween tradition normally brings thousands into the downtown, and requires a public safety presence to close off Main Street.

Joyce said this year the city-organized Pumpkins in the Park, with its haunted pumpkin walk, will also take place in tandem in Blue Note Park, creating an even larger Halloween celebration. The chamber recently got word that the final contruction elements, including finished sidewalks, will be in place in time for Halloween weekend.

“It’s going to be even bigger than before,” she said about the event.

Leading up to the year off, Halloween on Main Street had also become a point of contention with some downtown business owners, who argued the event doesn’t provide an economic benefit, yet businesses are expected to buy large amounts of candy and possibly lose regular customers due to the closure of Main Street.

However, the sheer popularity of the event, which in 2014 drew its largest crowds to date, inspired the chamber to continue. Joyce also said that local businesses have expressed excitement that the event is returning.

“There’s a lot of energy down there right now,” she said, referring to the downtown coalition and the completion of the downtown construction. “We’re really excited.”

Pumpkins in the Park, which debuted in Riverbank Park last year in place of the canceled Halloween on Main Street, will now move to Blue Note Park, where there is also a DJ and other activities. Community Services Director Maria Dorn said Tuesday that she’s excited to team up with the chamber. The focus of the event is jack-o-lanterns, which will all be lit simultaneously to create an eerie and festive glow in the park.

“It will be a lot of fun,” she said.

A CLOSER LOOK:

“Wessie Fest” will be centered in Blue Note Park on Saturday, Oct. 22. The festival and vendors will be operating from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Bill Brock of “Monsters Underground” will host a talk and Wessie hunt starting at 2 p.m.

For those seeking a “Wessie-free zone,” Sunset Ridge Golf Links is inviting families to try a round of footgolf for half price at $20 per family.

Halloween on Main Street will return on Friday, Oct. 28 from 4:30-6 p.m. A large portion of downtown Main Street will close for trick-or-treating at local businesses. The second annual Pumpkins in the Park event, with a “haunted pumpkin walk” will take place simultaneously Friday in Blue Note Park, and will remain open until 7 p.m.

The Westbrook family-favorite Halloween on Main Street is returning downtown this year after organizers decided not to hold the event in 2015.

Trick-or-treaters lined up outside Fajita Grill awaiting candy during the 2014 Halloween on Main Street. This year, Pumpkins in the Park will coincide, taking place in Blue Note Park.