Mentone’s After the Heat of Summer Celebration Set for October 17-18

FORT PAYNE, Ala. - Oct. 1, 2015 - PRLog -- A two-day celebration filled with free family fun atop Lookout Mountain says goodbye to summer and hello to fall and all of its colorful glory. Set for October 17-18, 2015, Colorfest brings together art, two stages of music, food and other family-friendly activities as Mother Nature puts on a fabulous display of colors. The annual event is sponsored by the Mentone Area Preservation Association.

On Saturday morning, gates open at 9 a.m. to a display of arts and crafts from approximately 70 premier artists and craftsmen in Brow Park with breathtaking autumn views filling the background. Swing by Mason Park for the Scarecrow Holler display and vote for your favorite handmade scarecrow.

The Children’s Fair is a wonderful opportunity for everyone to enjoy many great activities that the fall season brings. Create lasting memories in a fall-themed photo booth, enjoy games such as a pumpkin toss and old fashioned ring toss, witness the excitement of the hay slide, and get imaginative with creating fairy houses, crafts, dragon lairs and much more.

Live music on two stages will keep festivalgoers dancing and entertained throughout the weekend.

Under the Big Tent (at the old Mentone Springs Hotel site):

October 17^th
10AM Kenny Finlayson and The Anthems
11AM Moon Lake Students Past and Present
12PM Larry Joe Hall
1PM  Ryan Keef
2PM  Jared Cushen
3PM  Dave Holland and The Bootleggers
4PM  The Campfire Girls
6PM  Uncle Shuffelo and His Haint Hollow Hootenanny

October 18^th
11AM Curtis Strange
12PM Richard Schrei
1PM  The Cloggers
2PM  Jess Goggans
3PM  Cooltrane

Brow Park Pavilion:

October 17^th
10AM Trey Headrick
11AM Kenny Finlayson and The Anthems
12PM Ryan Keef
1PM  Richard Schrei
2PM  Chris Hale
3PM  Clare Donohue and Stephen Powers
4PM  Butch Ross

October 18^th
11AM Manz Brothers
12PM Emmie Chambers
1PM  Lisa Crow
2PM  David Lusk
3PM  Jesse Goggans

Rise early Saturday morning for the One World Adventure Color Craze 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run before the festival. Modeled after popular color runs held across the country, participants will enjoy a scenic route beginning at Mason Park while being doused with colored powder. Sign in and race day registration begin at 7 a.m. with the first wave starting at 7:50 a.m. For more information and a registration form, visit www.oneworldadventureco.com/fall-fundraising-events/.

New for this year is a Chili Cookout where festivalgoers have a choice of white, regular, or vegetarian chili and all the fixings for $10 per person. The cookout begins at 5 p.m. on Saturday evening, October 18^th, with live music featuring the old time sounds of Uncle Shuffelo and His Haint Hollow Hootenanny following from 6 to 9 p.m.

During festival hours, the Taste of Mentone will be underway giving festivalgoers an opportunity to try a signature dish from one of the many locally owned eateries and local volunteer fire department, North Lookout Mountain Fire Protection District, will be serving their famous barbeque all weekend at Brow Park.

Additional activities include a huge scavenger hunt throughout the town, and a Fish Fry hosted by One World Adventure at the Mentone Inn backyard pavilion on Friday, October 16^th from 4 to 7 p.m. Cost is $10 each and includes a heaping plate of fresh catfish, Dave’s hushpuppies, homemade slaw, drink and dessert. From 6 to 9 p.m., free music will be provided by Zen Dogs, a rock and roll Americana trio made up of James Roberts, Amy Snider and Jordan Brown.

Festival hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Brow Park is located off of Alabama Highway 117, north at the caution light in Mentone. All activities are held rain or shine and festivalgoers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and picnic blankets. Admission is free.

In addition, festivalgoers can enjoy the brilliant colors of the changing riverbanks with a scenic boat ride on Little River. The boat will leave from DeSoto Falls about every 45 minutes and travel up river before returning. Each ride costs $10 and should last around 30 minutes. Hours of operation are Friday, October 16^th from 1 p.m. to dusk; Saturday, October 17^th from 9 a.m. to dusk and Sunday, October 18^th from 10 a.m. to 2p.m. (All dates and times are weather permitting.)

Colorfest’s sponsors include Fort Payne Times-Journal, Coca-Cola United, DeSoto Printing, Skelton Orthodontics, Snappy Graphics, DeKalb Tourism, Kamama Gallery, Wildflower Café, Mentone Realty, Custom Home Designs, First State Bank of DeKalb, Accel Graphics, Twin City Used Cars, First Fidelity Bank, The Package Store, GH Metal Solutions, Dixie Salvage, Citizens Bank, Westmoreland Tire Co., Valley Head Drugs, Bruce’s Foodland and Mentone Camps (Camp Desoto, Camp Laney, Camp Skyline, Riverview Camp, and Alpine Camp).

For more information on Colorfest or on additional things to do in and around DeKalb County, contact DeKalb Tourism at 888.805.4740 or visit www.DiscoverLookoutMountain.com.

About DeKalb Tourism

DeKalb Tourism is a not-for-profit organization promoting tourism and economic growth in DeKalb County. Our mission includes to provide outstanding customer service to all guests; to provide complete and detailed information about DeKalb County, its history and attractions; to leave visitors with a positive experience; to develop strong positive long term relationships with the people and businesses of our communities; and to be a leader in the education and promotion of our county, locally, nationwide and internationally.