11th annual Fall Fest is here Saturday, October 6th and it’s free with something for everyone

Grab your fresh grown produce, family, and money and be prepared to have some fun at the 11th annual Fall Fest located at Eatonville Middle School located at: 207 Carter Street East Eatonville, WA 98328. From 11 am to 3 pm the event will take place and there will be something for everyone.

Harvest sharing will take place, where you can bring your fresh produce and take something else that you didn’t grow. Food donations, including fresh garden and crops for the Eatonville Food Bank, eye glasses for Eatonville Lion’s Club, and used medical supplies for Benita International Children’s Organization. There will be 40 health and disability vendors including DSHS Developmental Disability Administration, DSHS for Social Security, County Resources that provide disability, aging, and long-term care, private vendors who maybe long-term or assisted care or assisted living homes, dental clinic, physical therapist, chiropractor, and a variety of health care practices including, Multi-Care Health System.

Tina Schmidt, planning committee chair for the Fall Fest, explained, “We have organizations such as non-profits, which can be from low income dental, to providing medical services and supplies for low income, a nice variety of organizations, private practice businesses, county, and state services.”

Food vendors will also be onsite to include: local restaurants to non-profit youth groups that are doing fundraisers for their youth activities. Some types of food options available will include: pizza, hot dogs, chili dogs, baked goods, pretzels, and kettle corn.

A pie bake-off will also take place for those who are interested in bringing their best pie to be judged as the winner. It’s a $5 entry fee for the winner and the winner will receive the proceeds of those $5 entries. “It’s more about the pride being the best pie baker in town and having a picture with the Mayor of Eatonville which ends up in the Dispatch [Newspaper],” Schmidt stated.

Schmidt wanted to acknowledge all of Fall Fest’s major sponsors and minor sponsors. Thank you to the following major sponsors who made Fall Fest possible: Eatonville School District, Multi-Care Eatonville Clinic, Sarah Cole Freelance Graphic Design, Town of Eatonville, Kirk’s Pharmacy, and the Dispatch.

Thank you to the following minor sponsors who made Fall Fest possible: SSAGE (Support Services Advisory Group of Eatonville), Arrow Lumber, Barney’s Corner Mini-Mart, Bertoglio’s Pizza, Bruno’s Family Restaurant, Cruiser Café, DoTERRA Essential Oils, Eatonville Lion’s Club, the Greater Eatonville Chamber of Commerce, Subway, Gypsy Wagon Espresso, Key Bank, Malibu Frozen Yogurt, Plaza Market, Michael J Frink, DC, Mountain Physical Therapy & Sports Rehabilitation, Rainier View Dentistry, and Roxy Theater.

Schmidt explained how the School District purchased or donated a farm in which students have a program (GRITS) where they grow. The youngest kids planted the pumpkins and the older kids harvested the pumpkins. Students who are from the high school that are in the program are selling the pumpkins as a fundraiser. “You can purchase the pumpkin and paint the pumpkins, too. They sold out last year,” Schmidt stated.

There will also be a coloring contest for kindergarten through 5th grade in which, they do have to be present to win, but they will win a “night on the town” which includes going to a local restaurant to eat and have ice cream, besides the movie theater. 7 kids will win as one child per grade will win from age pre-school through 5th grade. Students who are interested can come to the festival and drop their coloring sheet by 1 pm, even home schooled students were notified about it as well.

Schmidt shared that she was working on various fun activities for children besides the bouncy house, things are still in the works, however, she’s hoping to have a petting zoo, as they’ve had that in the past. There will also be activities from kid’s crafts for preschool and grade school age.

There will also be cookie decorating and students can then eat their cookie. Schmidt mentioned a pony maybe coming and that there will be dance clinics where kids can try out being in a dance club. Cheerleader clinics as well as live music from Tom Mitchell and Emily Hill.

Entertainment will also be provided by MC Eatonville High School drama students and USA Special Game Olympics athletes in Seattle, Maya Frank who completed in track and field will be at Fall Fest and will be a speaker giving a presentation.

When asked what many people may not know about Fall Fest, Schmidt replied, “It’s a community based event that focuses on what people are able to do versus what they aren’t able to do. Some people tend to look at people with disabilities and think that if you don’t legs, you can’t run, but there is technology out there to do so. We all have strengths and weaknesses and this is where we help them find their strengths.”

Schmidt commented on the best thing about Fall Fest, “It’s free and an event for all ages and abilities, that’s our logo. When people walk through the door, we don’t want them to think it’s just about disabilities, having a disability is just one facet, there are other facets of their life and there’s lots of stuff here to apply to me.”

Schmidt is welcome to any volunteers of all ages as well as anyone who’s interested in being a craft vendor. Contacting Schmidt sooner, the better on her cell at: 253-677-2479. Pricing for craft vendors are as follows: non-profit it’s free, $10 if you don’t have a business license, and $25 if you do have a business license.