Barely a month removed from being overwhelmed with visitors for Italian Fest, Main Street in Collinsville will again host an uptown festival.
Thousands are expected to meander Main Street Saturday, sampling chili, trick-or-treating at local businesses, enjoying a costume contest and admiring decorated hearses during the Fall Festival. Yes, that says admiring decorated hearses. A local antique hearse club will be participating in the event this year for the first time, Fall Festival Chairperson Tami Springer said.
Fall Festival 2012 / Photo by Tami Springer
“I know someone who has a couple of antique hearses. He is in a club. It turns out they like to decorate their hearses for Halloween,” Springer said. “It seemed like a good fit.”
When not admiring the final mode of transport, festivalgoers will be able to buy chili from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and trick-or-treat at local businesses between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. A costume contest will be held at noon.
The costume contest is for children in three age groups: pre-kindergarten to kindergarten, 1st-3rd grade and 4th-6th grade. Contest categories are most creative, TV/movie/cartoon and the mayor’s choice. Mayor John Miller will select one winner for the Mayor’s Choice award, the most prestigious award, Springer said.
Children can trunk-or-treat in the public parking lot at the corner of Seminary and Main streets. A haunted trail will be set-up between Data Unlimited and Bert’s Chuckwagon, Springer said.
Those who enjoy dogs decked out in costume and on parade will certainly find plenty of photo opportunities during the pet parade; beginning at 2 p.m. Participants are asked to gather in the Dog Park at 509 W. Main St. at 1:30 p.m.
The Collinsville Main Street Community Association hosts Fall Festival, which will be held on Main St. between Seminary and Illinois Route 159 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Springer, who is also the president of the Collinsville Main Street Community Association, said the event is a way to promote uptown Collinsville businesses, most of whom will give candy to trick-or-treaters.
“If we can get people walking around on Main Street, to see the businesses, that is a good thing,” Springer said. “We want them to remember the businesses there when they go shopping.”
