Fall festival set for Columbus Day weekend

Sugar Loaf — Every year, hundreds of residents from Orange County and beyond flock to Sugar Loaf for the annual fall festival. This year, the festival is slated for Columbus Day Weekend, Oct. 6, 7 and 8, and organizers say it will be bigger and better than ever. This free event set in the landscape of fall scenery, celebrates art, crafts, food, cultural performances and live music each day. On Saturday, the line-up will include Elissa Jones, Improvisation Comedy Group (with audience participation) Blues Xpress, poet Jim Eve and the John Bendy Group. Sunday will feature Project Mercury, poets Ingrid King and Jim Kenny, Tony Rivera and the Mike Quick Trio. Monday’s schedule includes Gregg Woods, Bill Davis Solo Acoustic, Jeremy Langdale, John Reddan and poets William Seaton, Rhodora Penaranda and Robert Milby. Festival-goers will be able to enjoy dozens of visiting vendors, as well as Sugar Loaf Village’s boutiques and artisans with their wide array of handmade crafts and creations n an ideal opportunity to get a jump on holiday shopping. Local restaurants will provide great food and tasty treats and performances will be conducted by area musicians and poets. Customized tours of the village are also available. An addition to the line-up is the “Fastest Kid on the Block” foot race, that will take place on Monday, Oct. 8, Race participants register at 8 a.m. in front of the Barnsider Tavern and the race begins at 9 a.m., rain or shine. Participants under age 18 must have a guardian sign their consent form. The races are broken into boys and girls age group divisions: 5-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-14, 15-18 and an open men’s and women’s race. All proceeds from the race will go to the not-for-profit Sugar Loaf Community Vision Committee, who is hosting the event to be used for projects to improve Sugar Loaf’s beauty, safety and accessibility. The entry fee is $10 and all contestants will receive a ribbon. Winners in each division will receive a “Fastest Kid on the Block” loving cup/mug, handmade by Sugar Loaf potter, Ray Boswell. To pre-register and for information about the foot race, call 469-9382 or e-mail zungoli@optonline.net. For more information about the Sugar Loaf Fall Festival, visit www.sugarloafnychamber.com or call 469-9181.