Fall Fest is almost here!
September 20, 2019
BUCKHANNON: Buckhannon’s Fall Fest kicks off on Wednesday, September 25th and runs through Saturday the 28th with plenty of fun for the whole family.
Bring the kids out to ride the rides and play games at the Gambill Amusements Carnival every evening Wednesday through Friday from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday.
On Thursday evening, join the Upshur County Convention & Visitors Bureau for a Walking Dinner Tour with stops at Miss Piggies, Fish Hawk Acres, the Opera House, 3/4 Cafe, and the Lascaux Microtheater. Laura Meadows, Director of the Upshur CVB, is excited for the event and shared that taking part in the tour is “a great way to literally get a taste of four downtown restaurants all while connecting with other people in the community.” Only 35 tickets are available, so be sure to grab yours soon at the CVB office at 14 E. Main Street or online at visitbuckhannon.org.
Friday, the fun continues with a special Festival Fridays with Ryan Cain & the Ables, fall wagon rides, apple cider making and tasting at the Buckhannon Fire Department, and a Battle of the Bands at the Colonial Theatre. Arts and crafts artisans will be selling their creations and food vendors will be serving up good eats and sweet treats, including barbeque hot from the smoker, chocolate-covered strawberries, and homemade cupcakes!
Saturday, Fall Fest converges with Paws in the Park Festival, hosted by the Buckhannon Dog Park. The day begins with a 5K run or walk, followed by plenty of pup-friendly activities in the grassy lawn adjacent to Stockert Youth & Community Center. Paws in the Park also features a pet show and parade.
Fall Fest activities will commence at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, with archery provided by the Upshur County Extension Office in Jawbone Park and apple cider tasting at the Fire Department. Stockert Youth & Community Center will host s’more pop making at 11:00, and there will be kids’ strawbale hunts at 10:45 a.m. and 12:45 p.m., also at Stockert Youth & Community Center. Kids will also have the opportunity to meet some of our farm friends–think calves, pigs, and sheep–thanks to local farmers and the WVU Extension Service of Upshur County.
At noon, we will dedicate the J.D. Hinkle, Jr. Memorial Terrace at the bridge adjacent to Buckhannon City Hall. J.D. Hinkle Jr. served as mayor from 1961 through 1975 and was instrumental in a plethora of City and community development projects, including acquiring City Hall, paving the streets adding street lighting, and establishing the municipal water distribution system.
The wagon rides will start rolling again at 2:00 p.m. Saturday and run into the evening. The rides last 15 -20 minutes and tour the downtown area, Jawbone Park, Carnival, Riverwalk Park, and West Virginia Wesleyan College campus fountain. Rides are $5 per adult and kids (with an attending adult) are free.
Delora Brown will host karaoke at the Colonial Theatre from noon to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, then at 6:00 p.m. the theatre will feature an oldtime and bluegrass band, complete with a square dance.
We hope you’ll come out and enjoy all that Fall Fest and downtown Buckhannon have to offer!
Questions? Contact Callie Cronin Sams at callie.csams@buckhannonwv.org or (304) 472-1651. For questions regarding the Walking Dinner Tour, contact Laura Meadows at lmeadows@VisitBuckhannon.org or call 304-473-1400.