Large crowd gathered for Sprankle's Octoberfest in Saxonburg on Friday, Sept. 8. Laura Welsh/Special to the Eagle

Saxonburg comes alive this weekend with both the fifth annual Sprankle’s Octoberfest and the first Minglefest taking place simultaneously.

Octoberfest unofficially began on Thursday night with a parade. The event is open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Saxonburg Volunteer Fire Company grounds.

Minglefest was devised as a replacement for the canceled Saxonburg Festival of the Arts, which lasted more than 30 years before it ended. The event is concentrated around West Main Street, and will open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.

There will be shuttles all weekend which will take guests between both events, as well as the Saxonburg Museum and Lernerville Speedway in Sarver.

From left, Christopher Spanbauer and his sons, Leo, 9, and Max, 20 months, of Widnoon, Pa., enjoy Sprankle's Octoberfest in Saxonburg on Friday, Sept. 8. Laura Welsh/Special to the Eagle

Rich Goldinger, Butler County district attorney, cooks sausages for the Saxonburg Rotary Club at the Sprankle's Octoberfest in Saxonburg on Friday, Sept. 8. Laura Welsh/Special to the Eagle

Don Montelone and his grandchildren, Everett Branchen, 4, and Wesley Branchen, 7, enjoy the bounce house in Kinderland at Sprankle's Octoberfest in Saxonburg on Friday, Sept. 8. Laura Welsh/Special to the Eagle

Leonard Williams, with Dragon fly balloons, juggles at the Sprankle's Octoberfest in Saxonburg on Friday, Sept. 8. Laura Welsh/Special to the Eagle

Daniel Biernesser, 7, of Tarentum, tosses axes in Kinderland at Sprankle's Octoberfest in Saxonburg on Friday, Sept. 8. Laura Welsh/Special to the Eagle

Alyssa Courson, of Butler, gets a tarot reading from Lady Carrie at Sprankle's Octoberfest in Saxonburg on Friday, Sept. 8. Laura Welsh/Special to the Eagle