Fall Tourism Season is here by John Dersham

Mentone Colorfest, Fort Payne Heil Harvest Festival and Third Saturday Sunset Cruise In

I love this time of year. The days are sparkling clear, the air is cooler and the look of the harvest with all those lovely warm fall colors of pumpkin orange and shades of brown, yellow and red appear in the landscape. Halloween is nearing as it leads into Thanksgiving. School is on, it is football season and the mowing and weed eating and the tremendous heat of summer are ending for the year and family and friends are gathering more to enjoy the fellowship of the fall season.

It is also a very big season for tourism. Our visitors flock here from points south throughout south Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana , Georgia and Florida to come to the mountains and see some stellar fall color that they do not see where they live. We have some of our most enjoyable events of the year during fall season starting with Fort Payne Boom Days Heritage festival, the DeKalb County VFW Agricultural Fair in September and now this weekend Mentone Colorfest and Fort Payne 3^rd Saturday Sunset Cruise In and Main Street Block Party, which will celebrate Oktoberfest this Saturday evening from 5-8. Be prepared to have your picture taken in some German garb, it will be fun. In addition we will have classic cars, music, food and retail shopping for this gala closeout of our best ever season of 3^rd Saturday Cruise In events.

Heil Environmental will be hosting the 4th annual Harvest Festival on the Heil Campus Saturday, Oct. 15, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. CST. The event is open to the public and tickets can be purchased at the gate for $1.00 each. There will be a 5K Color run that begins at 9 a.m

THIS EVENT IS OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY

Veterans, Police Officers, Firefighters, EMTs and Heil employees will receive double tickets with appropriate identification.

All proceeds from the event will benefit local charities.

In addition, Heil has been selected to host the NAM Manufacturing Day event in conjunction with the Fall Festival. The goal is to bring publicity and community interest to the manufacturing industry. We hope that you will join us in celebrating this huge honor!

It is also Mentone Colorfest weekend. This annual event is a favorite among our visitors who pick this weekend to come enjoy fall in our beautiful mountain village of Mentone.

Colorfest Schedule of Events

Brow Park Hours:

Saturday, 9am-5pm

Sunday, 11am-4pm

Friday, October 14

5pm Food Trucks By Mentone Market, MAPA (til 8pm)

5pm Chris Hale

6pm Bonfire and Concert by Will Dooley and Friends (til 9pm)

Saturday, October 15

10am Karaoke (til 4pm)

5pm Food Trucks by Mentone Market, MAPA (til 8pm) 5pm Terry Hutcheson

6pm Bonfire & Concert - Permagroove

(til 9pm)

Sunday, October 16

12pm Storytime - Debbie Happy Cohen

1pm Singer - Cathy

2pm Storytime - Kylie Laine Peterson, Mini-Miss Rhododendron

2:30pm Abby Schrader

Brow Park Stage

Saturday, October 15

10am Jess Barker

11am Larry Joe Hall

12pm Curtis Strange & Dr. Rob

1pm Daniel Hughes

2pm Lisa Crowe

3pm Amy Snider

4pm Katrina Barclay

Sunday, October 16

11am Trey Headrick

12pm Scarecrow Holler & Pumpkin Patch

Jubilee Winners Announced

12pm Dana Owens

1pm Jared Cushen

2pm Marc Womack

3pm David Lusk

Special Events

Boat Rides from DeSoto Falls

Friday, 1 til dusk

Saturday, 9am til dusk

Sunday, 11am-4pm

Scarecrow Holler at the Mentone Springs Hotel Site

Scavenger Hunt will be held all over town during festival hours. Game forms will be available at the MAPA/Info tent at Brow Park and must be returned to the MAPA/Info tent by 3pm on Sunday.

Children’s Fair - pony rides, balloon animals, games and more

Farmers Market  at the Mentone Inn Square