Fall harvest festival set for Saturday

The 13th annual Fall Harvest Festival, organized by the Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce Merchants Committee, will take place this Saturday, Oct. 4, starting at 10 a.m. and concluding at 3 p.m.

Entertainment for the event will feature a Cow Pie Bingo (sponsored by the Beta Zeta Club), the Optimist Cheerleaders, the Hula Girl and Rattlesnake Creek (which will open and close the festival). For the kids there will be Don's Mini Train and two new attractions, a petting zoo and a Kid's Fun Maze.

The festival also will hold a chili cook-off. Entries for the chili cook-off will be located at participating businesses during the festival. The first prize in the commercial division is $50 in Chamber Bucks. The first prize in the independent division will be $25 in Chamber Bucks plus a gift bag. The deadline to enter the cook-off was last Friday.

The Mountain Home Historical Museum will be holding hayrides and a historical harvest display at 11 a.m.

At 1 p.m., the museum will hold an apple dunking contest to honor their "Apples, Apples, Apples" theme. The winners of the contest will be awarded coupons for cookies or ice cream from McDonalds. During the festival, the museum will hold a fundraiser offering apple cider, apple pie and caramel apples.

On Oct. 3-4, the Mountain Home Youth Ranch and McDonald's will sponsor a pumpkin painting contest. Judging for the contest will take place at the Youth Ranch starting at 1 p.m. on Oct. 4. The contest will award prizes for different age groups.

On Oct. 4 at 4 p.m., the Elks Lodge will hold Oktoberfest at the Elks, where brauts, hamburgers and beverages will be served. Tickets for Oktoberfest will be sold at the Lodge for $5. Elks and their guests are invited to Oktoberfest.