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From Friday night football and pumpkin patches to harvest festivals and trick-or-treating, fall is always a busy time of year for local families.
But you'll want to make space in your calendar for a couple of noteworthy events coming up this month.
South Point High School's annual barbecue returns from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 23. This is the 35th year for the school fundraiser, which draws hundreds of parents and folks from the community.
Plates will be catered, with barbecue, slaw, rolls, chips and dessert. Plates are $6 each. Delivery is available to businesses from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a five-plate minimum order.
North Belmont Elementary also plans a port-a-pit barbecue from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 23. Plates are $6 each.
If you want to work off all that food and fixings, head over to Kate's Skating Rink for Kate's Skate Night benefiting Belmont Central Elementary. The fundraiser will run from 5 to 10 p.m. Oct. 23.
On Oct. 24, the Belmont Parks and Recreation Department will host its free Halloween Bash from 5 to 9 p.m. in downtown.
Part of Main Street will be blocked off for carnival games, a moon bounce, super slide and cupcake walk. Expect plenty of food, candy and prizes, along with a costume contest starting at 7 p.m.
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden will celebrate fall and help nature lovers get a jump on holiday shopping with its new event called AutumnFaire. Free with garden admission, the event runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 24-25.
More than 20 vendors from the Carolinas will offer craft items made from or based on plants. Included are gourd art, basketry, handcrafted herbal soaps, pottery, mosaics, painted silk scarves, crocheted afghans, jams and jellies and other items that are botanical in nature.
"Last year, we did three separate harvest day events, but this year, we decided to put the successful events from three weekends into one," said marketing director Jim Hoffman. "It won't be a typical fall festival; it will more like an art fair where vendors demonstrate and sell their nature-related wares."
Horse-drawn carriage rides and autumn plant displays with pumpkins, hay bales and fall flowers also will be showcased.
"The weather is cool, and all the gardens are lush and full because they've had all summer to grow," said Hoffman. "Fall also is the time to see more unusual garden features like muley grass, an ornamental grass growing along the canal garden. It's about 5 feet tall and 5 feet across, with a beautiful pink, purple haze to it. Autumn is one of the best times to visit the garden."
