Annual Fall Festival of Leaves set for Oct. 16-18

The 48th annual Fall Festival of Leaves in Bainbridge will kick off this weekend, with the annual autumn celebration set to include entertainment, parades, pageants and many other special events.

The festival, held the third weekend of October, will take place Oct. 16-18 in Bainbridge.

This year’s Fall Festival of Leaves pageant, with the theme “Paradise,” will kick off the weekend’s events on Thursday evening at 8 p.m. at the Paxton Theatre.

Contestants include Cassandra Brown, 17, of Zane Trace High School; Kirsten Davis, 16, of Paint Valley High School; Maddy Davis, 16, of Paint Valley High School; Cassidy Eberle, 17, of Paint Valley High School; Emmalee Good, 17, of Huntington High School; Kaylee Hurley, 17, of McClain High School; Chelsie Johnson, 16, of Paint Valley High School; Savanna Johnson, 17, of Paint Valley High School; Madison Kellough, 16, of Zane Trace High School; Cheyenne Taylor Payne, 16, of Adena High School; Mikala Peters, 16, of Paint Valley High School; Elana Rickey, 18, of Paint Valley High School; and Alexis Waltz, 17, of Zane Trace High School.

Friday is Senior Citizens Day at the Festival, and activities will begin at 10 a.m. with arts and crafts, Kissel Brothers shows and a flea market opening in the morning.

Entertainment will be featured throughout the day on Friday, starting with a performance by the Paint Valley High School band at noon.

A karaoke contest will follow at 1 p.m., with prizes offered in three age groups (under 13, 13-18 and over 18).

Two dance performances will be held Friday evening, with the N’Step Dance Troupe performing from 3:30-4:30 p.m. and the Fun Bunch Cloggers performing from 5-6 p.m.

Friday’s events will conclude with a concert by the Bainbridge-area band Cactus from 6:30-9:30 p.m.

On Saturday, the day will begin with a 5K Run/Walk. Registration starts at 7 a.m., with the run/walk following at 8 a.m.

Classic machinery and automobile fans will be sure to enjoy the Paint Valley Antique Machinery Club Show, featuring antique tractors, and the Antique, Classic, Street Rod and Truck Show. Both shows begin at 9 a.m. Saturday.

Another pageant will also be held Saturday, with the Prince/Princess Pageant taking place at the Bainbridge Methodist Church. Children between the ages of 5 and 7 will compete for the titles of Fall Festival of Leaves Prince and Princess.

Dennis Regling will entertain the crowds with a “Wonder Show” from 11-11:30 a.m., along with making balloon animals offstage from 1-3 p.m.

A live pet and stuffed animal show will be held from 11 a.m. to noon. Prizes will be offered for the largest pet; smallest pet; best medium dog; best cat; most unusual; best-dressed pet; and best of show. There will also be awards for stuffed animals, including largest; smallest; most unusual; most lovable; and best of show. For more information on the contest, call Mary Ellen Mark at (740) 634-2898.

Following the show, the Mt. Sterling Bluegrass Boys will perform in concert from noon to 2 p.m.

The first of two festival parades will be held Saturday, with the Antique, Classic, Street Rod & Truck Show parade beginning at 2:30 p.m.

There will also be a log sawing contest at the corner of Maple and Third streets at 3 p.m., followed by a kiddy tractor pull sponsored by Johnson’s Dairy Queen at 4:30 p.m.

Two other concerts, New Again (3-4 p.m.) and Partytown (6:30-9:30 p.m.) will also entertain the crowds on Saturday.

Sunday morning events will begin at 10:30 a.m. with the Fall Festival of Leaves Worship Service, followed by a gospel performance by the Marty Ford Group.

The final parade and major event will begin at 1:45 p.m. with the introduction of visiting queens and the 2015 Fall Festival of Leaves Queen, court, Prince and Princess and their courts. The parade will begin at 2:30 p.m.

The Kingston Kickers will conclude the day’s events with a performance after the parade.

For more information, visit http://www.fallfestivalofleaves.com.