Blog

By Pat Lindsey

Falling leaves and cool October temperatures are sure signs that it’s almost time for the 15th Annual Florissant Old Town Fall Festival.  Florissant Old Town Partners is again teaming up with the City of Florissant, the Missouri Arts Council and the Regional Arts Commission to sponsor the favorite fall event on Sunday, Oct, 14, from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Chili Cookoff, Entertainment

The Old Town Fall Festival, with more than 150 booths, will cover eleven blocks from Florissant Road to St. Ferdinand Shrine. Featured attractions will be the ever-popular Chili Cook-off  in front of Click’s Heating & Cooling and Fido Follies, as well as a wine garden, pumpkin-decorating, jewelry-making, silent auction, and Kincaid Puppets. The street will be filled with activities for everyone, including games, sale items, food, beverages, and entertainment on almost every block.  At 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., the Bob Kuban Brass will perform at the band shell in the 100 block of St. Francois, in front of the Lawyer’s Building.

Other entertainers will be the Dixie Rhythm Kings, Cookie the Clown, Dan Sproat, Pat and Anna Auberry, storyteller Carol Brady, North County Big Band, Dennis Schilligo, Seven Weeks After, Spent, The Buckhannon Brothers, Bryson Gerard and more.

Fido Follies Always Popular

Festival patrons are encouraged to bring their properly licensed and leashed dogs and enter them in the dog show, Fido Follies. Some of the show’s categories will be Smallest Dog, Largest Dog, Best Kisser, Best Costume, and Best Trick.  On every block, bowls of water will be provided for four-legged friends.

Children’s Art Festival

The Children’s Art Festival, sponsored by St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley, will be located on the City Hall lawn.  Exhibits by artists, and art activities and demonstrations will be presented throughout the day. The children’s corner will return with free activities, including chalking, painting and collage. The Northern Arts Council and the Women’s Caucus for Art will also showcase work by local artists.

Florissant Valley’s radio station KCFV will broadcast live from the festival throughout the day and the Florissant Police Dept., in partnership with MOCHIPS, will offer child identification kits free of charge.

Free Shuttle on St. Catherine Street

Since the Festival has grown so much over the past 14 years, the city will be providing a shuttle on St. Catherine for those Festival patrons who have difficulty navigating the St. Francois hill.   The Flert bus will be transporting festival patrons from block to block on St. Catherine which is one street over from St. Francois.  There will be signs directing you to the stops.

Car Show Benefits Officer Vernon

A special addition to this year’s fall festival will be the Police Welfare Association’s car show on the Knights of Columbus grounds. All proceeds from this event will be donated for the care and recovery of Officer Mike Vernon, who was recently injured in the line of duty,

The corporate sponsors of the fall festival are  Baronwood Kennels, Nimmons Wealth Management, Zykan Family Partnership, SSM DePaul Healthcare, Click Heating and Cooling and Crystal Creek.

Community sponsors include the Boyle Law Firm, Don Henefer Jewelers, American Eagle Credit Union and The Bridge At Florissant.  Neighborhood sponsors are St. Clair Corporation, Stems Florist, St. Louis County Library, Florissant Elks Lodge, Sandie’s Interiors/Blind Corner and Hazelwood School Distict.

For more information call the Old Town Partners office at 837-0033 or visit the website at florissantoldtown.com and click on the Fall Festival link.