Pumpkin picking // Alivia Henson, 9, and her stepfather, Allen Oldum, use a wheelbarrow to haul their pick of pumpkins at The Pumpkin Patch at Gallmeyer Farms in Eastern Henrico last Saturday. The family was getting ready for Halloween. Varieties of pumpkins grown at the farm range from 1 pound to more than 100 pounds, perfect for jack-o-lanterns or pie.

Cityscape // A colorful new mural celebrating women now decorates the 1st Street side of a Downtown building at 1st and Broad streets. Left, Austin Miles puts finishing touches on the mural last Saturday. The mural is the creation of Richmond artist Hamilton Glass in partnership with Girls For A Change, a nonprofit that seeks to inspire and support African-American girls and girls of color to achieve their dreams.

Cityscape // The mural was developed with assistance from one of the nonprofit’s Girl Action Teams from John Marshall High School. HandsOn Richmond partnered with the Virginia Credit Union to recruit 60 volunteers who painted the mural in two shifts, a week after Mr. Glass and other artists from UNITY Street Project sketched it on the building.

Bridging the digital divide // Ta’Niyah Brown, right, is one of 1,050 Richmond high school freshmen receiving a new, internet-connected computer tablet, courtesy of Sprint. Watching the distribution at George Wythe High School, is interim schools Superintendent Thomas E. “Tommy” Kranz, far right. Officials from the wireless communication company and its foundation gave students the free equipment and wireless service at the Oct. 19 event. Through the next four years, a total of 5,250 city students who lack computers and internet service at home will receive electronic tablets to help them do their homework. The distribution is part of the company’s 1Million Project that seeks to close the digital divide that makes it difficult for students to achieve academic success.

Pumpkins in East End //

Getting in character // Aaray Kota, 3, adjusts the mask of his peacock costume, left, as he and other characters prepare for the Kids Costume Contest at the Scott’s Addition Pumpkin Festival last Saturday on the Boulevard.

Getting in character // The street was blocked off between Broad and Leigh streets as hundreds of people enjoyed the free event, featuring food, music and, of course, costumes. Children, adults and event pets were dressed for the occasion. Harper, a four-legged friend of a festivalgoer, was ready with his guitar, above, for the Pet Costume Contest. The festival, presented by Food Lion, also drew notables, including Mayor Levar M. Stoney and Gov. Terry McAuliffe.

Historical marker dedicated // A marker noting the historical significance of Anderson Cemetery in Henrico County now stands at Portsmouth Street and New York Avenue in Glen Allen at the cemetery’s entrance. The marker was dedicated Tuesday in a ceremony held by the Friends of Anderson Cemetery, a group working to clean up and maintain the burial grounds that date to the mid-1800s. The 2-acre site served as one of the earliest cemeteries for African-Americans in the Yellow Tavern area. From obituary notices, roughly 200 people were buried in the cemetery over the course of a century, with one of the earliest graves dating back to 1881, organizers said. Many were members of Mount Olive Baptist Church, St. Peter Baptist Church and other churches in the area. A new nonprofit, Anderson Cemetery League, is working toward permanent stewardship of the cemetery.

Sparking the imagination // Dressed in colorful dashikis, the Claves Unidos dance group, above, leads an energetic crowd to join them during a performance at the Imagine Festival last Saturday at the Broad Rock Sports Complex in South Side.

Sparking the imagination // The 13th annual festival, sponsored by the City of Richmond, celebrates diversity in the Richmond community. The festival featured an array of food, exhibits, arts and crafts, health screenings and performances, including a portrayal of Sojourner Truth by Anita Holloman. Also enjoying the festival, at left, are Sian Thomas, 4, and her mother, Lameka Booker.