CRESTVIEW — Rain came first, and then the temperature dropped into the 60s, but that did not stop hundreds of people who attended the Crestview Fall Festival on Saturday.
The annual Main Street Crestview Association event took place 1-6 p.m. downtown. People of all ages, along with animals, many dressed in costumes, were out in full force enjoying the festivities.
The Fall Festival offered a variety of games, booths and food. There was Knockerball, a type of soccer in a bubble, and Pick a Duck and Ring Toss where participants could win prizes. Cupcake walks, photo booths and a cornhole toss were also on hand as well as horseback riding and soccer.
Smells of popcorn and funnel cakes mixed with the aroma of barbecue coming from Hub City Smokehouse and Grill. Hot apple cider was available for this chilly day as well as chicken on a stick. Candy was abundant as each booth’s volunteers handed it out to attendees.
Children dressed for the costume contest as princesses, Power Rangers and other superheroes, “Harry Potter” characters, firefighters, police officers and skating dinosaurs. Dogs were not to be outdone. Canines were there for the costumed pet contest dressed as pirates, hotdogs and pumpkins.
Whole families dressed up as well. The Bowser family dressed up and brought their lab, Capt. Jack Sparrow, who came as a lion. Dimitri Sanchez and his mom, Jessica Lorkowski, brought their dog Champ dressed as a shark. Angie Nousiainen was there with her Great Dane who was dressed as a school bus. There was even a pet pig dressed as a lobster.
Many booths offered crafts and homemade items such as canned jellies and cookies. There was a Wax Impressions booth where a wax mold could be created from hands. Many booths were sponsored by groups such as local real estate agents, the Crestview Rotary Club, Bob Sikes Elementary School Safety Patrol, and by many local churches.
Small businesses such as Scentsy and LuLaRoe had booths as well as the Air Force. Local high school students staffed the booth supporting Students Working Against Tobacco. Martial arts demonstrations and palm readings were also given. There was also a rock swap where people could exchange rocks they had painted and signed.
A special guest at the Fall Festival was Travis Charpentier, a local actor who has played numerous zombies in AMC’s “The Walking Dead.” He had helped support his niece, Katelyn Meinert, a senior wrestler at Crestview High with a zombie walk fundraiser on Saturday.
In addition, the association sold engraved bricks that could be placed in downtown Crestview. They were $35 each. The association also sold Crestview cookbooks.
“I am so impressed with the crowd… It is fabulous!” Alisa Burleson, with the Main Street Crestview Association, said. “Plus, Sandra Wilson and others in our group did a great job pulling all of this together!”
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 'It is fabulous!'