A fall tradition of showcasing Blawnox and what borough businesses and organizations have to offer continues at the end of the month.
Best of Blawnox presents its third annual Blawnox Fall Festival from noon-3 p.m. Sept. 30 at Blawnox Community Park along Center Avenue.
Festival coordinator Carol Hillwig said the event has grown through the years from a handful of participating businesses to 30 vendors.
“I think a lot more people are getting involved with the community events,” she said. “The fall festival thing has been becoming popular in the small towns.
“It seems like more and more people see different communities around Blawnox holding festivals and seeing how successful they are, and they are starting to volunteer and help in Blawnox now.”
More than a dozen volunteers are expected to participate.
“It’s a nice little town and there are a lot of nice people that are willing to help out and lend a hand when it comes to community events,” Hillwig said.
Local organizations like the Cooper-Siegel Community Library, Fox Chapel Adult Education, Friends of the Riverfront and UPMC St. Margaret hospital will have informational booths set up.
Other vendors include Slamming Sam’s Pizza, Black Canary Coffee Shop, Kona Ice, Old Thunder Brewery, Hello Catering, Treat Down the Street, Jersey Mike’s and Let’s Sew.
Activities include face painting, rock painting and basket raffles featuring goodies donated by borough businesses and residents.
Doug Oster, the organic gardener, will be on hand to plant flower bulbs with the children and talk about gardening.
This year marks the third year Hillwig has organized the festival.
“This is probably the best year,” she said of things coming together. “It was hard the first year trying to get vendors and knowing the right person to contact.
“Now, it’s a lot easier because I have the contact names. I email them a vendor confirmation sheet. I have that from year to year. When I don’t do this anymore, I can pass it on to the next person, and all they have to do is contact them.”
Katie Specht-Coban, councilwoman and Best of Blawnox volunteer, has seen how the festival has grown through Hillwig’s leadership.
“(She is) very consistent and very organized,” Specht-Coban said. “She really does a darn good job. Volunteering is important. It’s what makes your community special.”
Admission is free. People are asked to bring in canned foods for the borough’s budding food pantry.
Its first food distribution is scheduled for Oct. 27 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the borough building, 376 Freeport Road.
“We found a need, through covid, (for the food pantry),” Specht-Coban said. “They need (food) all the time, and more people than we think.”
Hillwig said the only thing the festival needs besides the food donations is good weather.
It rained last year. Half of the vendors canceled, but attendance was still strong.
“It shows you the people in this town still show up for their community events despite the weather,” Hillwig said.
More information about the festival is available on the Best of Blawnox Facebook page.
