ZIPPO and Keene Pumpkin Festival: the ideal match!

Let it Shine, Inc., organizer of the Keene Pumpkin Festival, is pleased to announce that the first-ever presenting sponsor of the internationally known festival will be none other than the Zippo Candle lighter, from maker of the world’s most iconic lighters, Zippo.

“This is a match made in heaven for the festival,” said event manager Ruth Sterling. “Not only does Zippo’s sponsorship assure the sustainability of the Keene Pumpkin Festival, but they also make the ideal lighter, the Zippo Candle Lighter, for illuminating our more than 30,000 jack-o’-lanterns.”

The refuelable Zippo candle lighter has received numerous accolades, from Martha Stewart, who said “I love it,” to Real Simple, Country Living, and more, and can now add being named the “Official Candle Lighter of the Keene Pumpkin Festival” to that list.

“Zippo is thrilled to be sponsoring such a creative and awe-inspiring event, and honored to have the Zippo Candle Lighter named as the official lighter of the festival,” said Theresa Funk, Zippo’s Lifestyle Product Marketing Manager.

The Zippo Candle Lighter is currently available in four colors: harvest bronze, candy apple red, champagne and brushed chrome. “It was designed to be seen and coordinate with any home décor,” Funk said. “This isn’t something to hide away in a drawer until you need it.”

The 24th annual Keene Pumpkin Festival, presented by Zippo, takes place on Saturday, October 18, 2014, noon to 8:30 p.m. in downtown Keene. This year’s theme is “It’s Home,” acknowledging the 2013 reclaiming of the Guinness World Record for the most lit jack-o’-lanterns. For more information, visit PumpkinFestival.org

About Zippo
Zippo markets in more than 160 countries and is one of the most recognized brands in the world. Based in Bradford, PA, Zippo has produced over 500 million windproof lighters since 1932, each backed by an unparalleled lifetime guarantee. Zippo’s diverse product line includes lighter accessories; butane candle lighters, fragrance for men and women, and a robust line of heat and flame products for outdoor enthusiasts. Zippo also owns the Bradford, PA-based Ronson brand of lighters and W.R. Case and Sons Cutlery Company, who marked its 125th year in business in 2014. For more information, visit zippo.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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ZIPPO named the official candle lighter of Keene Pumpkin Festival

POST September 4, 2014

A group of friends enjoying a summer evening around a campfire in Dublin, NH, talking. That is where the idea sparked leading to Keene Pumpkin Festival matching up with its first national sponsor.

It's official. ZIPPO Manufacturing, Inc., the hallowed 82-year-old maker of high-quality lighters, is the presenting sponsor of Keene Pumpkin Festival 2014. Let it Shine, Inc, organizers of Keene Pumpkin Festival, announce today that they have received a commitment from ZIPPO Manufacturing for 2014 and beyond.

A match made in heaven for the festival which has needed to broaden its base of support to assure sustainability. The refuelable Zippo candle lighter, created for Yankee Candle, is now the "Official Candle Lighter of the Keene Pumpkin Festival." From Zippo's website:

"The Zippo Candle Lighter does not use flints. It has an advanced Piezo lighting mechanism that will last for about 15,000 lights. How long is that? If you used your Candle Lighter three times per day, it would light every day for almost fourteen years." Keene Pumpkin Festival needs lighters one day a year to light 30,000+ jack-o'-lanterns. Only a top of the line lighter will do.

Zippo's brand extension into lifestyle products also includes a line of camping products including grills, stoves and LED lanterns.

Featured in the September 8, 2014, issue of Forbes Magazine is this article, "Zippo: An 82-Year-Old Flame." The Forbes story also features a video with the lead, "The storied lighter brand has proven to be inextinguishable over the last 82 years."

So how did Zippo, headquartered in Bradford, Pennsylvania, connect with the Keene festival? Stan Heckathorn, the affable rep for Zippo in New England whom his close friends call "Mr. Wonderful," was socializing with Dublin's Chuck Simpson, who happens to be the younger brother of festival organizer, Ruth (Simpson) Sterling. Simpson mentioned the festival, hoping to get some sample lighters to help his sister out.

The rest is magical, the sort of thing that festival fans have seen happen before. In 2011, it was a challenge from Highwood, IL, which got media attention and led to a nationally televised show, "Pumpkin Wars" in 2012.

The 24th annual Keene Pumpkin Festival, presented by Zippo, takes place on Saturday, October 18, 2014, Noon-8:30pm in Downtown Keene where the street is completely closed off to traffic. This year the theme is, "It's Home," acknowledging the 2013 reclaiming of the Guinness World Record for the most lit jack-o'-lanterns.