Culture
Festivals Aplenty This Weekend In Athens County
By: Sara Brumfield | Athens Messenger
Posted on:
Area residents can’t say there isn’t anything to do in Athens County this weekend as a plethora of special events will be held, offering fall fun and entertainment for all ages.
Nearly every corner of the county will be home to some sort of festival this weekend including the inaugural Athens Pumpkin Festival, The Plains Indian Mound Festival, Hocking College’s Hocktoberfest, #Halftime (Number Fest), Appalachian Color in the Hills Festival, and the Chix 4 a Cure 5K.
The Indian Mound Festival, Hocktoberfest and the Appalachian Color in the Hills Festival will kick off on Friday.
The 29th annual Indian Mound Festival will be held at The Plains Community Park on Connett Road on Friday from 5-11 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. More than 35 crafts vendors will be featured this year and hourly mound tours will be given for $1. The festival will also feature a brave/princess and queen pageant, car show, live entertainment and games. Admission is free.
The Appalachian Color in the Hills Festival celebrates the changing colors of the hill foliage while offering lots of musical entertainment, helicopter rides, food and crafts. Admission to the festival is free, but visitors can also purchase a $20 general admission weekend pass to see the live music. Musical acts this year include the Kentucky Headhunters, Whey Jennings and more. The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. both Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
The Appalachian Color of the Hills Festival has also partnered with Chix 4 a Cure this year. The organization is a nonprofit cancer advocacy organization based in Trimble Twp. Chix 4 a Cure will hold its annual 5K run/walk on Saturday starting at 10 a.m. at Trimble High School. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and costs $20. For information about Chix 4 a Cure, visit www.chix4acure.net.
Hocktoberfest at Hocking College will be held from 5-11 p.m. on Friday and 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday. The free event features live music, outdoor skill learning and demonstrations, a fishing derby, 5K trail run, horse-drawn wagon rides, beer garden, food vendors and more.
Shawn Michaels, the former world champion WWE wrestler and host of the MacMillan River Adventures hunting show on the Outdoor Channel will host a hunter safety demonstration along with his co-host, Keith Mark on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. There will also be a personal meet and greet autograph session.
Saturday will mark the inaugural Athens Pumpkin Festival, held at the Athens County Fairgrounds on West Union Street in Athens. The one-day event, held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., will feature everything pumpkin. There will be lots of pumpkin food dishes, pumpkin skill games and a large flea market. Admission to the event is free, but parking is $1. While the pumpkin festival is a one-day event, the flea market will be continue on Sunday, opening at 9 a.m.
The fall counterpart to #Fest, the student music festival held on Route 56, is called #Halftime and will be held Saturday from 4 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. Headliners for #Halftime include New York-based rapper Hoodie Allen, Internet sensation Riff Raff and electronic dance DJ duo The Chainsmokers as well as up-and-coming acts Mike Stud, D-Why, E-Trayn and Yizzo. Advance tickets for #Halftime start at $20. Tickets at the gate are $30. For information about #Halftime, visit www.thenumberfest.com.