LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX News) — Hundreds of shoppers took advantage of the fall weather Saturday by heading to a local Fall Festival featuring more than 160 vendors offering everything from jewelry and T-shirts to handcrafted gifts and one-of-a-kind items.
Among the unique attractions was a popular "Blind Date with a Book" experience, where readers purchase a wrapped book without knowing the title or author until they open it.
“Today we have Blind Dates with a Book, perfect for the reader,” vendor Kelly McOwnking said. “You don't know exactly what the book is or who the author is until you open it up, but we have some little clues and some fun goodies in it.”
Organizers say the event is about more than shopping. It takes dozens of volunteers and months of planning to bring the festival to life each year.
“We had the LCA football team out here to help us prepare for parking,” said Michael Swartzentruber, senior pastor. “We have tons of volunteers in the life of the church. Vendors get here on Friday to set up for today, so it's a big orchestration.”
Now in its 46th year, organizers hope the festival remains a community tradition for generations to come.
McOwnking said organizers are always looking for new vendors and encourage interested businesses and artisans to apply when applications open in the spring.
“We generally open applications in April,” she said. “They fill up very quickly.”
The Fall Festival is held annually on the second Saturday of October, giving visitors another chance next year to browse local vendors, discover unique finds and celebrate the season.
Molly Demrow is committed to covering the stories that matter to you. If you have an idea, please reach out to Molly at molly.demrow@wlex.tv
