ZELIENOPLE — Ethel Mae Hall has seen her fall festival grow from the beginning.

For 16 years, Hall has been in charge of organizing the event. But she has been involved with it since its beginning in 1984. The gathering reportedly attracts more than 10,000 people each year, which Hall calls a “fair” estimate.

“It becomes more popular each year,” she said.

The 31st annual Zelienople/Harmony Country Fall Festival is Oct. 10-11. A majority of it is centered at Four Corners Park on the north end of Main Street in Zelienople.

A farmers market will showcase fall-themed harvests both days including fresh apples, farm produce, pumpkins, fall mums, corn stalks, gourds, squash and other items.

Six Amish families will be there with baked goods. One popular item is doughnuts, which will be sold on Saturday only.

Horse-drawn trolley and wagon rides will take people around the community for free both days. Rides will be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Hall said the wagon rides are a good way to measure the crowd.

“It departs every five or 10 minutes, and I would calculate how many people would get on,” she said. “Within a day and a half just riding that wagon, there were 2,500 people. I think we have quite a good attendance.”

Other attractions include a petting zoo, chain saw carving and art shows.

People can get a sense of history with the Independent Mountain Men Living History Society. The mountain men perform historical depictions of the American frontier from about 1750 to 1840.

The organization will camp out both nights and have a show-and- tell session.

Old-fashioned activities include corn grinding, wood bucket coopering, rope making, honey bees working and apple butter making. The camp will also have wagon rides.

A car cruise will be held in Harmony. Classic cars, music, food and prizes will entertain from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

New activities

A new feature is an activity not seen much in Western Pennsylvania. It is cricket, not involving the insect, but the sport.

Instructor Tom Melville from Wisconsin will come to Passavant House and teach how to play the bat-and-ball sport brought to the states by British immigrants in the 1860s.

Cricket games will be run on a continuous walk-up basis. No experience is required.

A new musical event is expected to delight visitors on Sunday.

The Country Musical Jubilee will bring four local acts to Four Corners Park from noon to 5 p.m. They are the Dan Hulse Banjo Minstrel Show, Tom Perkins, Waldo Young and Johnny Calinger, all of whom will play country and folk music, including classic standards and current tunes.

Something for everyone

Hall said the key is making the festival fun with a full schedule of events that caters to all.

“Everyone seems to have a good time. It's a relaxing time as the leaves are starting to turn.”

The event was named as one of “Where & When: Pennsylvania's Travel Guide's” eight great fall festivals.

“We try to make it where there's something for everyone to do,” Hall said.

More information, including a schedule of events, can be found on the festival's website at fallfestival.zelie.us.

The event is sponsored by the Zelienople Business Association.