Tonight: 12th annual Fall Fest

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Tonight: 12th annual Fall Fest
The Hillsdale County Intermediate School District invites the community to join them in celebrating autumn at its 12th annual Fall Festival on Oct. 24. | Facebook

The Hillsdale County Intermediate School District invites the community to join them in celebrating autumn at its 12th annual Fall Festival. The event will take place, rain or shine, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. this evening, Oct. 24 at the Hillsdale County Fairgrounds. While the festivities are geared toward families with children, all are welcome.

Fall Fest was born out of a desire to raise awareness about the special education resources Hillsdale County ISD offers, explained Kim Svacha, assistant to the superintendent. The organization offers speech, physical, and occupational therapy in addition to professional development and technical training. 

“While the event was once driven for exposure, it has grown into a venue for our local service agencies and the ISD to come together and offer a fun, family-focused event,” Svacha said in an email. “It was far more successful than we expected.”

According to Svacha, Fall Fest aims to create a safe and welcoming place for all.

“We have somewhere around 50 volunteers every year to help keep a watchful eye,” she said. “We love to see the kids having fun but we — the Hillsdale County ISD — also love making face-to-face connections with moms and dads. Ultimately, we want them to know we’re here to help.”

Each partner agency and ISD department will offer an activity for visitors to enjoy. Attractions include dancing, bowling, coloring, crafting, a “spooky fun bus,” and an opportunity to take photos. There will also be free grilled hotdogs and chips available in addition to hayrides and pumpkins to take home.

Kelly Castle has attended the Fall Fest with her son the past two years and said she would “highly recommend” it to others.

“We have enjoyed the hayride and games the best,” Castle said in a text message. “Last year my son had so much fun dancing with the ISD staff. Best of all, it’s free!”