NEOSHO, Mo. — Doreen Finnie, Neosho’s events coordinator, is busy putting the final touches on the roster of vendors and activities for this year’s Neosho Fall Festival Autumn Harvest.
The festival is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 3.
After a brief hiatus from Neosho’s annual schedule, Finnie brought back the festival last year and has found a community eager for the return of one of its signature events.
“When I started as event coordinator for the city, one of the things that I was continually asked was if we were going to bring the fall festival back to the square,” Finnie said. “Many people that I met have fond memories of attending the festival as they grew up, and they wanted to revive it.”
Finding participants to set up booths at the festival is easy, according to Finnie. Both last year and now, Finnie had people coming to her asking to participate, many of them people who had booths years ago.
With this year’s festival still a week away, the list of vendors has grown to 60, including nine food vendors and a few nonprofit groups that will operate informational booths. Festival visitors will find booths showcasing pottery, jewelry, candles and needlework as well as hand-crafted baskets, natural soaps and bath salts.
“I think that it is just tradition that we go to craft fairs in the fall,” Finnie said. “For me, there is nothing better than strolling through a craft fair in the crisp autumn air looking for Christmas gifts.”
Vendors will ring the Neosho square, with setup beginning at 7 a.m. and opening scheduled for 9 a.m.
Additional festival activities include the Angels Eyes Charitable Foundation 5K Run and 1-Mile Fun Walk, a pet contest sponsored by Faithful Friends; and large inflatable rides for both children and adults, including the Extreme Trampoline Thing, Velcro Wall, Bounce House and Castle Maze. Because of generous sponsorship from local businesses, there is no cost for these rides.
The Neosho Lowe’s will help children with Make/Take Crafts. Additionally, there will be the Artists on the Square Art Show, and many artists will be demonstrating throughout the day. The Newton County Historical Society will be the host for “History Alley,” featuring historical craftspeople making and demonstrating period items.
Those attending also will be able to preview all the booths and activities from the vantage point of a horse-drawn carriage ride.
Finnie views events like the festival as important because they provide an identity and another avenue of connection for residents.
“I think that it instills a sense of nostalgia with a desire to go back to a time of their youth when they perhaps didn’t have the stresses of their lives today,” Finnie said. “People that I have met still have quite strong memories of going to the festival as they grew up and when they tell me about it, they usually have a smile on their faces as they remember.”
The Neosho Fall Festival Autumn Harvest is free to the public. Downtown parking is also free.
Information is available online at www.neoshomo.org/fall.
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