Autumn Leaf Festival Kicks Off Today

Lexis Twentier

Lexis Twentier

Published October 2, 2021 4:25 am
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CLARION, Pa. — Clarion’s 68th Annual Allegheny Toyota Autumn Leaf Festival begins today; here’s what is going on this weekend.

The 68th Annual Autumn Leaf Festival, sponsored by the Allegheny Toyota, runs from Saturday, October 2, through Sunday, October 10, 2021.

More than 500,000 people attend the internationally award-winning annual event.

The theme for this year’s festival is “Turn Over a New Leaf.”

Saturday, October 2

Clarion County United Way 5K & 10K Race

The Annual Clarion County United Way 5K & 10K Race takes place on Saturday, October 2. The course begins at Clarion University Memorial Stadium and runs along the beautiful streets of downtown Clarion. Registration begins at 8:00 am with the race starting at 9:00 am. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top 3 male & female finishers in each race. For more information, contact the United Way of Clarion County at 814-226-8760 or uwrace@verzion.net.

S&T Bank PA State Old Time Fiddlers’ Contest

The S&T Bank “PA State Old Time Fiddlers’ Contest” will be held on Saturday, October 2, 2021, at the First United Methodist Church, 600 Wood Street, Clarion, during The 68th Annual Allegheny Toyota Autumn Leaf Festival™. The competition will have you tapping your toes and dancing along to the music. The event will also include contests for guitar, banjo, and mandolin. The day of registration opens at 9:00 a.m. with the contest starting at 11:00 a.m. For more information on this event, visit www.thomasmusicstudio.com. While the contest is free for spectators, we ask that you bring a non-perishable item to benefit the Clarion County Community Bank “FoodStock.”

Bigfoot Country 102.1/101.3 Kids’ Carnival” and the “Waste Management Touch-A-Truck

Head to the Clarion Mall on Saturday, October 2, 2021, for two great events – the “Bigfoot Country 102.1/101.3 Kids’ Carnival” and the “Waste Management Touch-A-Truck!” Both events will be held in the Mall’s parking lot in front of Family Farm and Home (formerly JC Penney) from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

The “Bigfoot Country 102.1/101.3 Kids’ Carnival” will feature free games and activities sponsored by local businesses and organizations! Kids will also have a chance to explore big rigs, cars, tractors, construction vehicles, and more during the “Waste Management Touch-A-Truck.” Rub elbows with hometown heroes, and get behind the wheels of firetrucks, police cars, and ambulances. These free events are great family fun for everyone!

Don’t forget to bring a non-perishable food item to help “RAM Up the Food Banks” with the Clarion County Community Bank “Foodstock!” For more information, contact the Clarion Area Chamber of Business & Industry at 814-226-9161 or info@clarionpa.com.

Free Flu Shots for Veterans

Free flu shots will be available to veterans at American Legion Post 66, located at 530 Main Street, and at Ross McGinnis VFW Post 2145, located at 603 Liberty Street, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Advanced Drainage Systems “Cornhole Tournament”

The Advanced Drainage Systems “Cornhole Tournament” will be held in front of the Clarion County Courthouse at 5 p.m.

The cost of pre-registration is $30 per team of two players. Pre-registration guarantees a free t-shirt for each player. Teams registering on the day of the event will be required to pay $40 for registration; players are not guaranteed a t-shirt when they register on the day of the event.

For more information, contact the Clarion Area Chamber of Business & Industry at 814-226-9161 or email Tamy@clarionpa.com.

UPMC Northwest Classic Rock Concert

The “UPMC Northwest Classic Rock Concert” will be held on Saturday evening, October 2, 2021, from 6:00 pm to 9:00. This year we are featuring “Uptown Classic Hits.”

The concert will be held in front of the Clarion County Courthouse. This event is free and open to all festival-goers, so kick loose with cool tunes and fun!

For more information, contact the Clarion Area Chamber of Business & Industry at 814-226-9161 or info@clarionpa.com. Don’t forget to bring along a non-perishable food item to benefit the Clarion County Community Bank “FoodStock!”

Sunday, October 3

Bountiful Harvest Pie & Bake Sale

Homemade pies and baked delicacies will be available for purchase at the Immaculate Conception School front parking lot from 8 a.m. until sold out. All proceeds from the sale benefit Immaculate Conception PTO.

PNC Bank “Junior Olympics”

The PNC Bank “Union Olympics” will take place from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Clarion University Memorial Stadium.

This event invites children between the ages of 5-12 who live or attend school in Clarion County to go for the gold. Each child will participate in four events: Standing Long Jump, Dash, Softball Throw, and the Modified Javelin Throw. Medals will be given to the top three performers in each event (for the age and gender category).

For more information, contact the Clarion Area Chamber of Business & Industry at 814-226-9161 or email Tamy@clarionpa.com.

“Autorama Cruise In” Sponsored by First Energy

The popular annual “Autorama Cruise In” will take place from noon to 4 p.m. on Main Street from 2nd Avenue to 8th Avenue.

All vehicle makes, years, and models are accepted. Pre-registration is $5 per vehicle, day of show entrants are welcome, starting at 9 a.m. at $10 per vehicle.

For more information, contact the Clarion Area Chamber of Business & Industry at 814-226-9161 or email Tamy@clarionpa.com.

UFP Parker “Motorcycle Show”

The annual “Motorcycle Show” will take place from noon to 4 p.m. on Main Street in Clarion.

All makes, years, and models are accepted.

For more information, contact the Clarion Area Chamber of Business & Industry at 814-226-9161 or email Tamy@clarionpa.com.

Weeklong Activities

62nd Annual Art Show and Opening Reception

The public is invited to the 62nd Annual Clarion County Arts Council Reception and Art Show, to be held October 2 – October 9, 2021, in the Main Street Center. The hours of operation for the show are Monday through Friday from 4:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. and Saturday & Sunday from 11:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

This year’s opening reception will be held on Friday, October 1st from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at the Main Street Center, 516 Main Street.

Clarion Model Railroad Train Displays

The Clarion Model Railroad Club Exhibit is open on the following days and times during the Annual Allegheny Toyota Autumn Leaf Festival™:

Sunday, October 3 — 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Tuesday, October 5 — 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Wednesday, October 6 – 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Thursday, October 7 – 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Friday, October 8 – 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday, October 9 – 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sunday, October 10 – Noon – 4:00 pm

The Hobby Shop is open to the public.

The Clarion Model Railroad Club is located in the basement of the Clarion Masonic Lodge Building on Main Street in Clarion. Enter at the rear entrance of the building to see the fascinating display of various scale railroad layouts! For more information, please contact 814-541-0286.

Food Concessions

There are a wide variety of foods that are sure to please everyone, so prepare your taste buds and try them all! Look for your favorites – those beloved cinnamon rolls, gyros, pizza, Stromboli rolls, wraps, taffy, Amish donuts, barbecue, fresh-cut fries, wings, bread bowls, apple dumplings, Italian sausage, steak sandwiches, and more! We will have some new vendors this year offering “Firehouse Subs”, Flavored Lemonade, Flavored Cider, and Flavored Hot Chocolate drinks. These tempting morsels can be found in the Clarion County Memorial Park and along Main Street. Picnic tables are located throughout the Memorial Park so you can have your dessert, too!

Contemporary Model Home Factory Tours

Tour the production facility and learn about the modular construction process, visit our design center and see all the products that you can choose to customize your dream home, then tour a completed home, The Essex, and see the beauty and quality you can expect in every modular home we construct.

The factory and model home is open for tours throughout the 68th Annual Allegheny Toyota Autumn Leaf Festival™. To tour the contemporary model home, please report to the factory first. The tours are held at 101 Southern Ave. in Strattanville, Monday, October 4th through Friday, October 8th, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. For more information, please call 814-764-5555.

Live Music Weekends at Deer Creek Winery

Join Deer Creek Winery during the 68th Annual Allegheny Toyota Autumn Leaf Festival™, for wine and food at Clarion’s biggest area winery. Plenty of outdoor seating is available. Deer Creek Winery is located just 15 minutes from Clarion at 3333 Soap Fat Road in Shippenville. For more information contact the winery at 814-354-7392 or visit www.DeerCreekWine.com.

Clarion County Community Bank ‘Foodstock’

Join C-93 Radio on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, from 12:00 Noon to 2:00 pm at Clarion Ford Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM for the Clarion County Community Bank “FoodStock” kick-off. The collection drive will be held at Clarion Ford Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM throughout the Annual Allegheny Toyota Autumn Leaf Festival™. Food donations can be dropped off between 12:00 pm and 5:00 pm each day of the festival.

For more information on the Clarion County Community Bank “FoodStock” and other ways in which you can donate, please contact the Clarion Area Chamber of Business & Industry at 814-226-9161 or info@clarionpa.com.

Other featured events throughout the week include the Tournament of Leaves parade, antique tractor show, cultural nights, and the popular Farmers and Crafters Show.

The full schedule is available here.

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