SYRACUSE — The Syracuse Fall Festival will be celebrating eight successful years on Oct. 8, the last day of the Artisans and Farmers Market. The activities of this year’s festival include face painting, pig racing, a petting zoo, a variety of games, hay rides, pony rides, professional pumpkin carvers, live music and more.

“This was just a way to celebrate the end of the farmer’s market, make it a big deal,” explained Program Direction Tyler McLead. “We’re down there 23 straight Saturdays, so it’s a celebration of sorts. We’ve really expanded since it started.”

The idea of the farmer’s market was originally created by the Parks Department, the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce and other local artists. At some point along the way, a fall festival happened. The festival gives the community an opportunity to get together and celebrate fall for a day, allowing everyone to enjoy the positive atmosphere outside.

The community can browse vendors for food or homemade trinkets while listening to local bands play live music and letting their kids play games. The festival had originally outgrown the market location, moving to Lakeside Park to create a less congested area for more activities. While the departments were apprehensive about the move, the crowd navigated toward the festival like geese flying south for winter, continuing the success of the event.

The parks department is always looking for ideas that would please and work well with the community, continuing the growth of the festival from year to year. The market enjoys going out like a bang at the end of the season, forever appreciative of customers and thankful for the community sponsors and departments for making the celebration possible.

Pictured are the clowns, Pipsqueak and Clarabelle (Photo by Tim Ashley)