After 175 years, Andrew County will hold its first fall festival.
During the weekend of October 14th, Andrew County will celebrate its 175th anniversary and begin what residents hope will become an annual tradition.
Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce Director Mary Ingersoll said she thinks there’s a need in the community for an annual event like the fall festival.
“I’ve been in the role of Executive Director at the Chamber since the beginning of the year, so the first thing my board asked me to do was go touch base with every Chamber member and find out what they think about the Chamber, what we should be doing,” Ingersoll said. “One of the biggest things that I heard over and over again was that folks in our community really miss the kind of events that they remember as children. A major reason why they stay in Savannah is because they have fond memories of their own childhood, so we really thought of this as a great opportunity to establish something that would be something for years to come that they would remember with their families.”
The fall festival weekend coincides with homecoming weekend in Savannah. According to Ingersoll, the weekend will kick off with the Savannah Homecoming Parade followed by a tailgate, football game and fireworks. After all the homecoming festivities there will be a Moonlight Rock ‘n’ Ride.
“So this is for bicycles,” Ingersoll said. “The idea is that you light up your bicycle with glow lights or glow sticks or Christmas lights or whatever means that you would like, and also light your self. So there’s a costume contest and a bike contest and then it’s a ride. So they’re going to ride through town, they’ll have a vehicle in front of them playing loud music for fun and the streets will be blocked so they won’t encounter any traffic but really fun, just a nighttime ride through town on your bicycle.”
Saturday morning begins with breakfast from 6:30 to 10:30 followed by Family Fun Day on the Square until 4 p.m.
“The Health Department is hosting a kid’s 1K fun run, the Splatterdash,” Ingersoll said. “So if you’ve seen or participated in a color run before, as you run through on the street, the volunteers are using colored cornstarch, essentially, they throw that into the air and it sticks onto your clothing.”
There will also be a flea market and booths around the Square and activities including a pumpkin carving contest, 3-legged races and a car show.
The weekend will conclude on Sunday with a community church service at 10:30 am. in Messick Park.
For more information visit the Andrew County Fall Festival Facebook page.