Fall is in the air… and festivals are here, there and everywhere
The mornings are darker and crisper, jackets are being pulled out of the back corners of closets and baking a pumpkin pie now seems much more appealing now than it did in those humidity-drenched days in July.
Fall has arrived, but it’s not time yet to retreat under a heavy quilt with a cup of cocoa just yet. And if the prospect of taking a carefree drive in the country to look at the colors seems a little more daunting with gas hovering near $5 a gallon, there are plenty of festivals in the region to visit, most of which offer free admission and offer plenty of opportunities for family fun.
This past week, the Houston Pumpkin Festival, a major annual event in the Washington County borough that had been set for Oct. 9-11, was called off due to recent heavy rains that organizers said made the grounds where the festival happens unsafe. With this in mind, it would be best to call ahead, check the web and keep your eyes on the weather before attending.
WASHINGTON COUNTY
-The SpringHouse Country Market and Restaurant in North Strabane is having its annual Fall Fun Festival every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fresh-made donuts are among the draws, along with a corn maze, climbing a hay bale mountain, a giant corn pit and more. It happens through Oct. 31. Information is available by calling 724-228-3339 or going online to springhousemarket.com.
-ARC of Washington County is having its “Connecting Through Inspiration” arts festival Saturday from noon to 4 p.m., at 111 W. Pike St., in Canonsburg. Live entertainment and work by local artists will be available. For information, call 412-828-7804.
-Cecil Township’s fall festival is Saturday and Sunday in Cecil Park. There will be activities for children, live music, food and more. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. For information, go online to ceciltownship-pa.gov.
-A mainstay among festivals in the region, the Hickory Apple Festival is planned for Oct. 3-4 at the Mt. Pleasant Volunteer Fire Company. A benefit for the fire company, it will have an animal show, blacksmithing, chainsaw sculpting, a petting zoo and more. For information, go to the Hickory Apple Festival’s Facebook page.
-Palmer Park in Donora will be hosting the Mon Valley Fall Fest and Carnival Oct. 7-11. Presented by the borough and the Donora Smog Commemorative Committee, the festival includes live entertainment, food, crafts and family fun. Go online to monvalleyevents.com for more information.
-It’s not yet Halloween, but it’s not too soon to start contemplating the holiday season. The Pennsylvania Arts and Crafts Christmas Festival will be at the Washington County Fairgrounds Oct. 16-18 and 24-25. There will be more than 200 vendors on hand, displaying assorted arts and crafts, holiday decor, floral arrangements, scented candles and more. The cover band American Pie and the Trinity High School Chorus will be among the acts providing live entertainment. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Go online to familyfestivals.com for more information.
-Scenery Hill is having a fall festival on Oct. 17 starting at 3 p.m. Children’s activities, pumpkin carving and food will all be available, and the movie “Hocus Pocus” will be screened at dusk. More information can be found at visitsceneryhillpa.com.
-Two weeks before Halloween, Witchfest will be at the Monongahela Aquatorium. Food trucks, live music and contests like the best cackle and the best hat will be part of the fun. Information on the Oct. 17 event is available at monaquatorium.com.
-More than 50 crafters will be in Eldersville for the Christmas in the Village Craft and Food Festival Nov. 6-8. Admission is free, and this year’s theme is “Candyland Christmas.” On Nov. 5 at 7 p.m., a Light Up Night service will be at the Eldersville United Methodist Church. Santa Claus will be at the White Church all day Saturday. Also on Saturday, the Christmas in the Village parade begins at noon, with fire trucks, floats and marching bands. Live entertainment will be available throughout the festival, and food will be served at several locations. More information is available at christmasinthevillagepa.wordpress.com.
GREENE COUNTY
-The Greene County Historical Society Museum in Waynesburg is having its Harvest Festival Oct. 10-11. Crafts and vendors, food, reenactments, demonstrations and educational activities will all be on tap. Admission is free. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. For information, go online to greenecountyhistory.org.
-Children’s activities, crafts, bounce houses and more will all be part of the Nemacolin Fire Department’s annual fall festival Oct. 24 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information is available on the fire department’s Facebook page.
FAYETTE COUNTY
-The Indian Creek Watershed Festival is set for Saturday at the Indian Creek Valley Community Center in Indian Head. Activities will include fishing and nature-based crafts. More information is available by calling 724-322-5737.
-Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Champion is hosting its annual Autumn Festival Oct. 3-4, 10-11 and 17-18. There will be live music, face painting, a hay maze and more. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. For information, call 800-452-2223.
-The annual Buckwheat and Pancake Festival is happening again this year. Sponsored by the Ohiopyle Stewart Volunteer Fire Company, the event will have lots of pancakes, along with sausages, pickles, cider and more. It is happening Oct. 9-11 and benefits the fire company. For information, go online to the fire company’s Facebook page.