By Jessica Farrish
The town of Sophia and local businesses are happily preparing for the annual Autumn Fest celebration scheduled Oct. 1-3 on Main Street from noon to 8 p.m.
The event is held each year for the kids in Sophia, Town Manager Ron Mills said.
Kids of all ages can expect to see lots of inflatables and a miniature petting horse.
“Kids love it,” Mills said.
The festival also helps raise money for the Shop with a Cop program,.
“This is a fall celebration for our children, and it’s a combination (fundraiser),” Mills said. “We’re raising money all the time for our Shop with a Cop program.
“We spent $11,000 at Wal-Mart last month on clothing and school supplies for the disadvantaged children from the three schools here to make sure our kids have warm clothing.”
The events are fun for the whole family.
Sophia residents and businesses work together to create a festival for local folks and the surrounding areas. Churches from Sophia and the outlying regions will be hosting booths, according to Mills.
Some visitors arrive from as far away as Great Britain, he added.
“This is a community thing. It’s not just one person who plans an event like this. It’s all of us, really.”
Festival-goers will have the opportunity to purchase locally grown canned foods like beans, peaches, relish and blackberries.
Mills’ wife will be selling canned blackberries.
“It’s a twist towards the past,” he said. “People don’t can things anymore. They love to buy canned apple butter, canned peaches or blueberries.”
One booth will offer apple butter.
“The lady’s got a huge copper kettle,” he said. “They’ll start making it there on the site, for sale.”
A cornhole toss game for those who don’t play horseshoes will be set up, he added.
A parade will begin on Main Street on Saturday, Oct. 3, at noon, he said.
A poker run to benefit Raleigh County Animal Rescue will come into town for a stop at the Stagecoach Salon, owned by John Fanary.
One major feature of the festival is the free child fingerprinting and DNA kits that are available.
“That will help the parents if, God forbid, something should ever happen to their child,” Mills said. “I think it’s an important thing.”
Gospel sings and other music will be hosted at the event, he said.
Fanary said many residents will celebrate in Sophia and further enhance the evening by heading to Chili Night in Uptown Beckley on Oct. 3.
“I think everybody’s wanting to get to Chili Night afterwards,” he said. “It ties in and makes Raleigh County a great place to be on Saturday.”
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Mills said Sophia recently adopted Oct. 11 as Sonny’s Day to honor Louis “Sonny” Farthing of the Sophia City Fire Department.
Farthing, who was born Oct. 3, 1947, served more than 30 years on the fire department before passing away on June 11.
Town officials are also planning a tailgate Halloween party for Halloween to offer kids a safe way to trick-or-treat, Mills said.
