Fort
Payne, Ala. – With the arrival of autumn and its beautiful display of colors, a
visit to Lookout Mountain in the northeastern corner of Alabama in October
proves to be just as colorful as it is fun. Three unique events --a new Christian
worship event, a Little River Canyon celebration, and a two-day arts and crafts
festival-- attract thousands of visitors high atop Lookout Mountain for free
family fun at a time when Nature is preparing for a spectacular fall season.
A
new 72-hour outreach and worship event is set for October 10-13, 2013 on
Lookout Mountain. The Courage is a free
worship concert featuring dozens of Christian bands, solo artists, and speakers.
During daylight hours, there will be organized community service groups going
out at each hour for volunteers to participate in with worship time continuing
throughout the day and night. Over 30 bands are slated to perform including For
His Reward, Bay of Believers, Matt Stinton, David Walker, Unspoken, Big Daddy
Weave, Against the Downpour, Bread of Stone, Leeland, Shane and Shane, Chris
August, John Tibbs, The Ember Days, McKenzie Lockhart, Noah Cleveland, Joe
Guerra, and Derek Johnson.
According
to event organizers, the event was established to serve the people of DeKalb
County who are in need. DeKalb County saw the highest death toll in Alabama
during the massive tornado outbreak in April 2011, and today, many are still
recovering emotionally, physically, and spiritually. The three-day event starts
at noon on October 10 and lasts until noon on Sunday, October 13 and will be held
at Twilley Fields Event Grounds located at 13675 Alabama Highway 176, less than
two miles outside of Little River Canyon National Preserve in Fort Payne.
Admission is free but a ticket is required for entry and may be downloaded from
www.thecourage.org.
Visitors
will make their way to the Little River Canyon on the second Saturday for a day
of guided hikes, music, food, and more. Set for October 12, 2013, Rendezvous at the Rim and Half Marathon
celebrates the arrival of autumn in the Little River Canyon offering a day of
guided hikes, live music, and other fun centered on nature. Runners will take
to the streets beginning at 8 a.m. for the Little River Canyon Half Marathon,
possibly one of the most scenic half marathons in the country. The certified
course loops 13.1 miles on paved roads, starting and ending at the Little River
Canyon Center. Proceeds benefit outdoor education programs and local
conservation efforts. Registration is available online at www.active.com.
At
8:30 a.m., Rendezvous at the Rim gets underway with Growl Prowl where children
are led on an interactive hike with a naturalist. As they encounter animal
clues along the trail, the children become different animals following the
leader in animated motions, such as hopping like a rabbit, leaping like a frog,
and buzzing like a bee.
Throughout
the day, a variety of activities will keep festivalgoers busy and entertained.
Bring your camera and join DeKalb Tourism Director and former Kodak executive
John Dersham for a photography improvement hike. All ages are invited to
participate. Festivalgoers can participate in a tree, wildflower and geology
identification hike or learn about the history of the Little River Canyon from
Park Ranger Larry Beane and the DeKalb Historical Society.
Children
will also want to check out Critter Tales, a hand-on program about animals
including live snakes led by Jacksonville State University Field Schools
Assistant Director Renee Morrison, and there will be a Un-natural Trail Hike
where children can practice their observation skills by looking for items along
the trail that do not belong there.
Additional
activities include live music, natural history hikes, nature art, a bug safari
and fly fishing and rock climbing demonstrations and there will be plenty of
concessions for breakfast and lunch. The event wraps up at 3 p.m. Admission is
free.
The
town of Mentone welcomes autumn and its colorful display with a two-day
celebration. Sponsored by the Mentone Area Preservation Association, Colorfest is set for October 19 and 20,
and this year’s event introduces two new fun events
– A 5K Color Run and Scarecrow Holler, a scarecrow-building contest and
display.
On Saturday
morning, gates open at 9 a.m. to a beautiful display of arts and crafts from
over 70 premier artists and craftsmen in Mentone Brow Park with breathtaking
autumn views in the background. Swing by Mason Park to admire Scarecrow Holler
and vote for your favorite handmade scarecrow and be sure to visit the
Children’s Farm Fair across the street from Mason Park for pony rides, crafts
for the kids, pumpkin painting and other family-friendly activities. Saturday
night at 6 p.m., festivalgoers will not want to miss the pig roast and live
music hosted by Wildflower Café. The Farm to Table Pig Roast will feature
Birmingham chef James Lewis who was named one of America’s best new chefs of
2011 by Food & Wine and a James
Beard Foundation 2013 finalist for best chef in the South region. Mountain Song
Farms, a local farmer of woodland raised heritage breed hogs, pastured chickens
and mixed pesticide free produce, will provide the pig and fresh vegetables.
Rise
early Sunday morning for the Color Craze 5K Run at 8am before heading back to
the festival when gates open at 11am. Throughout the weekend, a steady stream
of music from talented local musicians featuring the "Sounds of
Mentone" can be heard in the Brow Park pavilion.
On
Friday night beginning at 5 p.m. (and until supplies last), One world Adventure
Company will host a Fish Fry at the Mentone Inn Pavilion. For a $10 donation,
get a taste of some of the best hand breaded fish along with homemade
hushpuppies, slaw, dessert, and drink. Following dinner, enjoy live bluegrass
and folk rock music by The Gypsy Begonias at 8 p.m. in Mentone Square.
Brow
Park is located off of Alabama Highway 117, north at the caution light in
Mentone. All activities are held rain or shine and festivalgoers are encouraged
to bring lawn chairs and picnic blankets. Admission is free.
For
more information on Rendezvous at the Rim and Colorfest or on additional things
to do in and around DeKalb County, contact DeKalb Tourism at 888.805.4740 or
visit www.DiscoverLookoutMountain.com.
