Zelie event has sun, fun
ZELIENOPLE — Despite initial cooler temperatures, the vendors at the 35th Annual Country Fall Festival Saturday and Sunday enjoyed sunny weather with no rain, which brought out hundreds visitors to buy crafts, eat, pet an alpaca or learn some history from a Civil War re-enactment group.
The festival also offered live music, horse and carriage rides, train rides for tots, games for children, and a host of wares for sale.
“It's good for the community,” said Megan Casey of Mars, who brought her four young children, mother and grandmother to the festival. “It brings everyone to town together and keeps businesses here when everyone comes to see what they have to offer.”
Jack Casey, 8, munched on cookie dough balls and french fries while he waited patiently to ride the wagon pulled by two huge black Percheron horses.
“I was surprised,” Jack said of everything to see and do at the festival.
Arla Lang, 82, of Cranberry Township, was happy to accompany her younger relatives to the festival, and kept a close eye on Jack and his three young siblings.
Lang regularly attends Horse Trading Days, Zelienople's annual summer festival, and has been to the Country Fall Festival a handful of times.
“I come for the camaraderie and the different things you get to see,” Lang said. “I'm not so much into buying a lot. I just look.”
She agrees with her granddaughter that small-town festivals are important.
“It helps the community grow in a good way,” Lang said, “and my grandchildren get to see things they normally wouldn't get to see and do.”
Greg Sansone of New Castle helped his son Matthew, 3, to pet one of two soft alpacas during his family's first trip to the Country Fall Festival.
“Friends from Cranberry suggested it, and we wanted to do something different in the community,” Sansone said. “It's pretty cool. There's a nice atmosphere and lots to eat.”
He said festivals bring people in to support local businesses and vendors.
“You have to have community spirit and get everyone together,” Sansone said.
Ann Malick of the Butler County Spinners and Weavers Guild dressed in 18th century attire along with a handful of other guild members who manned a booth at the festival.Malick and her colleagues demonstrated the craft of hand spinning wool into yarn. They sold an array of hand-spun, handmade outerwear and scarves at the booth.Malick used a drop spindle to turn large tufts of combed wool into yarn that was used at one of the two spinning wheels set up at the booth.The craft goes back to the time before Christ, Malick said.“The Egyptians were famous for spinning cotton and linen,” she said.Spinning wool into yarn and making a family's clothing ended at the start of the Industrial Revolution, Malick said.“People no longer stayed at home and made their clothes,” she said.The guild has set up a booth at Country Fall Festival for the last 10 to 12 years to enlighten visitors on the history of clothes making.“We enjoy it,” Malick said. “We've found for the most part that people are interested and curious.”Tyler Venezie, 14, of Ellwood City, came to the festival with his parents and younger brother as he has three times in the past.“I like to check out all the cool sights,” Tyler said.In addition to chowing down on his favorite festival food, fried vegetables, the teen enjoys the historical displays on the southwest side of the big intersection where the festival is staged.In addition to the Spinners and Weavers Guild booth, the area contains war re-enactors, a running 1911 Stickney engine, a knife maker, glassblower, and honey and maple syrup booths, among others.“You can see the old things,” Tyler said. “It brings back history.”Bitty Allen, 12, of Harmony walked the festival with a friend after the girls finished performing with The Fantastix singing and dancing group.“I just like to look at what they have,” Bitty said.She enjoyed performing The Fantastix medley of more than 10 songs and dancing as well.“I like to make people happy,” she said of performing in the group.One woman who especially enjoyed the festival was Abbie Sheets of Wexford, whose husband, Rick Sheets, sang and played his guitar at the entertainment area down Main Street a few blocks.In between selections by Johnny Cash and Steve Earle, Rick announced to the crowd that he and his glowing wife were expecting their first child in April. A raucous round of applause greeted the news.“We're really looking forward to it,” Abbie said.Her husband performs all over the North Hills and in Pittsburgh, Abbie said.“He heard about this fall festival, and we love this kind of stuff,” she said. “We saw some animals, had lunch and looked at all the crafts.”The festival, which also included activities in Harmony, wrapped up at 5 p.m. Sunday under still-sunny skies.
