Clinton ushers in autumn season with annual festival

Tradition continues as the 42nd Annual Clinton Fall Festival arrives once again in Lenawee County. September 25, 26 and 27 will be packed with an abundance of activities as locals show up to celebrate the arrival of autumn. Doris Kemner and her husband Carl have served as chairpersons for the Festival for thirteen years. They are just a part of the 23 separate committees that work together as a team to plan the Festival each year. “The best part of planning the festival is knowing that we’re going to have something wonderful to showcase in our community,” Doris stated. “We can help out all the nonprofits and churches in the area, and just have some fun.” Hundreds of Clinton locals, along with non-residents, come together each year to ensure that the festival pulls off without a hitch. “I enjoy working together with all the other folks to put this on. We do work quite hard at this, and it takes the whole village really,” Doris said. “It’s great working with everyone and seeing the outcome.”The Fall Festival has grown tremendously in the 42 years it has been around, according to Doris. “When the Festival started, it was just the sidewalk sales downtown. It was just in the U.S.-12 district, and now it encompasses quite an area of Clinton. It’s a huge festival that’s been voted best in Lenawee County many, many times, and we’re recognized in Southern Michigan as one of the best festivals around.” There will be a variety of events taking place at the festival. A 50-50 raffle will be held each day. Tickets will be $1 each for one ticket, and $10 each for 10. The winner will receive half of the money collected, the other half going towards festival costs and the Eric Kemner and Carl Woodward Scholarships. Participants must be present to win. Each day’s drawing will be held at the corner of U.S.-12 and Tecumseh-Clinton Road at 3:30 p.m. The Clinton Fall Festival also wishes to give back through The Feed Lenawee Kids 5k Fun Run. The 5k will raise money for hungry children in Lenawee County. Cost is $25 for day-of registration. Start and finish is at Clinton High School’s track, beginning at 8 a.m. T-shirts will be provided to all participants. Entertainment will also be abundant at the festival. The Michigan High School Rodeo will take place Saturday, Sept. 26 at 4:30 p.m. at Tate Park. It will include bull riding, barrel racing, pole bending, and much more rodeo action. Admission is $10 for adults, and $5 for kids, veterans and senior citizens. The 27th Annual Clinton Fall Festival Car Show takes place rain or shine on Saturday, Sept. 26 at Tate Park. The show is limited to 300 entries, with day-of-show registration taking place from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Cost to enter is $20. Participant voting ends at 1 p.m., with awards being presented at 2:15 p.m.A silent auction will be held at St. Dominics Hall on the north side of U.S.-12 each day of the festival, with the auction beginning at 9 a.m. each day and continuing until 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 12 p.m. on Sunday. Proceeds from the auction go towards the 2016 Fall Festival operating budget and the annual scholarships given by the festival. Winners will be posted at St. Dominics at 1 p.m. on Sunday, with pickup for the items between 1 and 4 p.m. An Annual Slow-Pitch Softball Tournament will be held at Tate Park on September 27 and 28. Games begin at 8 a.m. each day, and will raise money for the Clinton Softball Program. The Grand Parade will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 27, traveling through Kehoe Road, Currier Street, U.S.-12 and Division Street. It will begin with an airshow courtesy of Scream’n Rebel Airshows, followed by the Moslem Temple Shriners, the Clinton High School Marching Band, Celtic Pipes and Drums, and other performers. Other events happening at the Clinton Fall Festival include a Tribute to Sinatra, the Dixie Cups Dixieland Band, a Pizza Eating contest, the Queen Pageant, the Clinton Kids Talent revue, Tecumseh Players, the TJ Craven Show, and more entertainers scheduled to play in the bandshell, located at Clinton Middle School. Dates and times for each event can be found on the festival website at www.clintonfallfestival.com. Along with all the events, patrons can visit the hundreds of vendors and merchants lining the streets for the expected 60-80,000 people who will visit the three-day festival. “We hope to continue to provide the Fall Festival, because it does so much good for the community and for greater Lenawee County,” Doris said. “I see people from around the state and from all over the United States, and even from countries around the world. It’s quite a wonderful thing that brings people together for a fun, family weekend.”

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