Bluffton celebrates the arrival of fall at its ninth annual Fall Festival, Saturday, Sept. 29, at five locations in the community. Most events are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Mennonite Memorial Home
Mennonite Memorial Home, 410 W. Elm St., is the hub for all free transportation. Visitors may park at one of the venues and enjoy free horse and wagon rides, or vans that goes to other locations. The vans arrive and depart every 15 minutes from Maple Crest, Swiss Homestead, Bluffton Middle School, downtown and the Mennonite Home.
Two horse-drawn wagons will be take people from the Mennonite Home to downtown and back during the day.
At 10 a.m. Mennonite Memorial Home will host a silent auction of handmade items such as pottery, woodworking and a bake sale with pies, cakes, breads and cookies. Bids will be accepted for silent auction items until noon.
TLU Rescue will show rescued animals and a veterinarian will be present for questions. Alpine horn presentations will be given from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Kettle corn will be made and sold throughout the day.
Lunch, provided by the MMH Women’s Service Group, will feature shredded chicken, pulled-pork sandwiches and other offerings. Horse and wagon rides, a kiddie train, face painting and a hay dig for hidden prizes is available for youth.
Maple Crest Senior Living Village
Maple Crest Senior Living Village, 700 Maple Crest Court, off Augsburger Road, will offer entertainment from the Don Hurless Trio at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The third annual antique tractor show will also take place. A kiddie tractor pull is at 1:30 p.m. with registration at 1 p.m.
Maple Crest will host a fishing derby for all ages from 2-3:30 p.m. with prizes for different categories of fish caught. Food is available and features cinnamon ice cream with homemade apple crisp along with hot dogs and more. Mennonite Home Communities of Ohio will also debut its new popcorn flavor, “Home Sweet Home” made by Shirley’s Gourmet Popcorn Co., Bluffton.
Main Street Bluffton
On Main Street will be free kid’s activities, including inflatables, games, snow cones, face painting and more. A farmers’ market is from 9 a.m. to noon, plus matinees at the Shannon Theater with all seats $4.
A quilt show at the Bluffton Middle School will feature local and historical quilts, demonstrations with a full-color program guide. The middle school is a new location for the quilt show this year.
The Bluffton Public Library will hold a book sale and a “make and take” activity for kids. Library events conclude at 2 p.m.
Forever in Stitches will feature a demonstration of long-arm quilting and will hold a quilt “stash & stuff” swap event.
The Black Lab Trading Co., will have Bluffton author Steve Yoder signing his children’s book, “Look for Something Good,” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
At noon the Bluffton Lions Club Foundation will draw the winner of the 1991 Corvette raffle. The drawing is at the farmers’ market.
At Community Market shoppers who spend $50 will receive $5 off the total bill (excludes tobacco and lottery tickets). Coupons are available at the service counter with one coupon per household.
Swiss Homestead
The Swiss Homestead, 8350 Bixel Road, includes an open house of its 1840s Swiss homestead and 1854 bank barn. Events are from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
It will feature house, garden, barn and workshop tours, farm animals, blacksmithing and other period skill demonstrations, horse wagon rides, plowing demonstrations, and performances by a Swiss choir and other musicians.
For lunch, various country foods (soup, Swiss cheese, fresh-baked bread, cider, popcorn) will be available for a donation to the Society. New this year is an expanded children’s area with “king of the log” pillow fights, a straw bale maze, slingshot range, stilts and other old time games. The Buckeye Bernese Mountain Dog club will demonstrate the drafting/carting abilities of these beautiful dogs developed near Bern, Switzerland.
As a fundraiser, the Society will hold a hog roast from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Homestead. Music will be provided by the Bluffton High School Fiddlers, and also by Audrey Willis on the accordion. Tickets for the hog roast meal are $8 and will be available throughout the day of the festival at the Homestead.
Suter’s Cider Press and Corn Maze
Suter’s Cider Press and Corn Maze, 12200 Putnam Road (Road R), will host its annual fall corn maze. This year’s theme is “Fun on the Farm.” Visitors may pick a pumpkin from Suter’s fields, play outdoor games, shoot corn cannons, see the 1888 cider press and purchase apple cider.
