Fall Fest in Morenci to celebrate autumn, usher in social district Saturday

MORENCI — The autumn season will be celebrated throughout downtown Morenci Saturday, Oct. 7, during the city’s second annual Fall Fest.

Scheduled for 4 to 11 p.m., there will be live entertainment, businesses and merchants presenting interactive activities and nonprofits sharing information about their services. The event will introduce the community's downtown social district, and a public art installation will be revealed.

A whole host of local sponsors and the Morenci Downtown Development Authority (DDA) have made this year’s event possible, according to a communication from Heather Sarnac, community and economic development direction for the city of Morenci.

“We will close down Main Street for live music, vendor booths and lots of fun, free activities for families,” she said in the announcement.

Twenty-two nonprofits are registered for Saturday’s Fall Fest, Sarnac said, where they will provide information about their services as well as fall activities for visitors to enjoy. Along those lines, 40 businesses and merchants are also registered for participation with some selling their handmade, homemade and homegrown products, while others will offer information about their business “with more engaging activities,” Sarnac said.

More: Inaugural Fall Fest in downtown Morenci well attended

Will there be live music?

Live music is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. at the Morenci Eagles Hall, 239 W. Main St., and at 9 p.m. at The Flats Pub, 113 North St. Staind Glass City is to perform at the Eagles, and local band The Dive Bar All-Stars will entertain customers at The Flats Pub.

“This will be our first event opening our entire Social District, which is scheduled to be open from 3 to 11 p.m.,” she said.

Where can I buy something to drink?

Alcoholic beverages can be purchased in a designated to-go cup from Flats Pub and the Morenci Eagles and can be consumed outdoors while within the boundaries of the social district, which is making its public debut. Only adults who are 21 or older may purchase a social district beverage. The boundaries of the district will be marked with yellow tape and signs.

People utilizing the social district are also asked to keep the city streets clean by disposing of their cup in trash receptacles downtown. Social district cups are not refillable. Bringing outside alcohol into the social district and leaving the social district with an alcoholic beverage are not permitted.

“The Social District does not encompass the entire Fall Fest area,” the city said on its website, www.cityofmorenci.org, “which extends to Morenci Fire Department, Healthy Spot Morenci, Jammers Designs, The Dairy Depot & Café, Morenci Deli and Pizza Box.”

Extra assistance from the Morenci Police Department will ensure safety during the festival and compliance with the social district rules.

Are the Fall Fest activities free?

Lining Main Street from 4 to 7 p.m. will be family-friendly activities including photos booths, face painting, a petting farm, archery, a caricature artist and a hayride — all at no cost. There will also be a wood carver with fall activities for kids. The Stair District Library will be outside of its building, 228 W. Main St., offering pumpkin painting that people of all ages are welcome to take part in.

When the Fall Fest kicks off at 4 p.m., there will be an art reveal at Alley 221, the city said. Following the art reveal, the first of three outdoor concerts will begin, featuring Genevieve Rose at Alley 221 as the backdrop for the vendor fair.

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Main Street is to reopen soon after 7 p.m., the city said, but family events will continue over at the Rex Theater showcasing “Casper the Friendly Ghost” at 7:30 p.m.

Special festive menus at local restaurants

During the entire event there will be grab-and-go menu specials at local restaurants as well as entrees and desserts that are only available for the Fall Fest. Adrian’s Brenda's Little Taste of Texas and Detroit Mini Donuts food trucks will be in town parked just west of the Morenci Fire Department.

The Kiwanis Club of Morenci will be collecting food donations that will benefit the Morenci Food Bank from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday. Kiwanis’ “Pack a Pickup” will be asking for donations of canned meat, canned fruit, cereal, boxed meals, macaroni and cheese, non-perishable food items, shampoo and conditioner, laundry soap, diapers, feminine products, paper products, and Kleenex.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Fall Fest in Morenci to celebrate autumn, usher in social district