Fall hues and harvest festival draw crowds to downtown Alpena

News photo by Torianna Marasco Autumn Bildson is seen at the pumpkin carving station at the Shades of Fall festival in downtown Alpena on Saturday, where she was one of the artists live-carving a design into her pumpkin.

ALPENA — Despite the hot summer weather, community members gathered Saturday to enjoy the Shades of Fall festival in downtown Alpena.

The Thunder Bay Arts Council hosted the event in conjunction with a new Harvest Festival, sponsored by Thunder Bay Winery. Shades of Fall ran from noon to 3 p.m., followed by the Harvest Festival until 9 p.m.

The Shades of Fall festival offered plenty of activities for children, including crafts, an inflatable obstacle course, yard games and more.

On Culligan Square, kits were provided for children to make their own sailboats and watch them float in the fountain. On 2nd Avenue, a table was filled with bags that children could decorate to make their Halloween treat bags.

Also for the children, Kevin Kammeraad and his friends organised puppet shows with lots of audience participation and songs, and a hayride was offered.

News photo by Torianna Marasco Children enjoy candy corn ring toss and pumpkin bean bag toss at the Shades of Fall festival in downtown Alpena on Saturday.

Nearby, customers could watch live pumpkin carving workshops as artists transformed their fruits into beautiful creations.

Members of the Michigan Army National Guard were on hand and brought several fun activities, including an inflatable obstacle course, Connect 4, as well as a mat and suits for those who wanted to try sumo wrestling.

There were various themed yard games available for everyone to play, including candy corn ring toss, pumpkin bean bag toss and pumpkin bowling.

As a nod to Flower Fest, Wilson’s Lasting Expressions hosted a fall-themed bouquet-making station with plenty of orange, yellow, red and white flowers to tie in all the colors of fall.

All along 2nd Avenue, businesses displayed their uniquely decorated scarecrows, adding to the fall decor.

News photo by Torianna Marasco The Thunder Bay Arts Council scarecrow is seen at the Shades of Fall festival in downtown Alpena on Saturday. Several downtown businesses participated in the decorating by decorating a scarecrow customized to their product.

Starting at 11 a.m., Thunder Bay Winery was open during both events for adults to stop by for wine tasting.

The winery offered glasses, flights and tastings, and even offered new flavors and drink specials for those who stopped by.

Later in the afternoon, business resumed for the winery as it hosted its harvest festival.

Glasses were filled and other yard games were offered, such as life-size Jenga, corn hole and ladder toss.

Live music began at 3 p.m. and continued throughout the evening. Ethereal Purr and Way Our Wayne, as well as June St. Riot, were musical guests who performed at the event.

News photo by Torianna Marasco People are seen wrestling in their National Guard-issued sumo suits at the Shades of Fall festival in downtown Alpena on Saturday.

Harvest Fest also had plenty of food options, from the Smoking Trolls food truck to a hot dog eating contest at Bob’s Bull Pen and a taco bar at Mango’s.

The festival allowed the community to get the fall season off to a good start while enjoying the last rays of summer sunshine.

Torianna Marasco can be reached at 989-358-5686 or [email protected].

News photo by Torianna Marasco Children are seen lining up to enter the inflatable obstacle course presented by the National Guard at the Shades of Fall festival in downtown Alpena on Saturday.

News photo by Torianna Marasco Children, with the help of a parent, build and design their own sailboats before testing them in the Culligan Plaza fountain at the Shades of Fall festival in downtown Alpena on Saturday.

News photo by Torianna Marasco A scarecrow in front of Olivet Book and Gift in downtown Alpena is seen at the Shades of Fall festival in downtown Alpena on Saturday.

News photo by Torianna Marasco Wilson’s Lasting Expressions is hosting a create-your-own bouquet station at the Shades of Fall festival in downtown Alpena on Saturday.

News photo by Torianna Marasco Plain tote bags were available for children to decorate and save to use as Halloween treat bags at the Shades of Fall festival in downtown Alpena on Saturday.

News photo by Torianna Marasco The custom sunglasses station is seen at the Shades of Fall festival in downtown Alpena on Saturday, where children were able to choose a color, style and bead pattern to create their one-of-a-kind accessory.

News photo by Torianna Marasco A child slides down the inflatable obstacle course presented by the National Guard at the Shades of Fall festival in downtown Alpena on Saturday.

News photo by Torianna Marasco A child celebrates his pumpkin bowling shot at the Shades of Fall festival in downtown Alpena on Saturday.

News photo by Torianna Marasco Kevin Kammeraad and friends put on a puppet show with lots of audience participation and singing at the Shades of Fall festival in downtown Alpena on Saturday.

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