Get ready for an exciting day of festivities in Darke County! On Saturday, November 4th, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., the Great Darke County Fairgrounds will be the place to be. You can find the fairgrounds at 800 Sweitzer St., Greenville, and they'll be hosting the seventh annual "Fall into Christmas" Food Truck Rally & Craft Show.
This event promises to be a fantastic celebration of local small businesses, which are the backbone of our economy in the United States, Ohio, and Darke County. It's an excellent opportunity to show your support for these enterprises, especially during these challenging times. Small businesses truly need our support now more than ever!
Whether the sun is shining or raindrops fall, this event will go on as planned. The best part? There's free admission to the craft show! However, please note that there is a $5 parking fee, and the proceeds from parking will go to Solid Rock Apostolic Church in Bradford. Solid Rock Church will also be collecting non-perishable food items for a Thanksgiving food drive to benefit families in Darke County. If you want to enter a drawing for a chance to win over $1000 in gift cards and prizes, head to the registration table located across from the gazebo area.
Upon parking your car at the fairgrounds, you will receive an entry ticket for the drawing. Plus, you can earn additional entries by donating non-perishable food items for the food drive. It's a win-win!
The event organizers extend their heartfelt appreciation to all the local business sponsors who have played a crucial role in promoting this community event. Winners will be announced hourly, and you can collect your prizes at the gazebo.
Food lovers, get ready to savor the delectable offerings from an array of food trucks open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Some of the featured food trucks include Badges BBQ, Best Vittles, Buckeye Burgers, CaliOH Eats, Crème de la Crème Cakery, Fifty5 Rivers Cold Brew, GoDown’s Fixins, Homestead Spud, Kettle Colonel, Lil Tiki Weenies, Nacho Pig, Owsley Family Concessions, Potato Tornado Gals & More, Timeless Tacos, Werling Street Eats, and Wholly Smokes BBQ.
Shopaholics, you won't be left out! With over 150 local craft vendors and specialty clothing boutiques, you can hunt for the perfect Christmas gift. Craft vendors will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and can be found inside the Coliseum, 4-H Building, and outside under tents.
This is a family-friendly event with a variety of fun activities for everyone. Jungle Island Zoo will be offering an entertaining and educational exotic animal encounter in a petting zoo format. You can pet, feed, and observe rare and unusual animals from around the world.
For the kids, High Wind Farm from Chillicothe, Ohio will be providing pony rides from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Ro-Da-O-Farm from Arcanum will offer horse-drawn wagon rides beautifully decorated for Christmas, available from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Guess who's coming to town? Santa Claus himself! He'll be making a special appearance from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. inside the Ohio Center. New this year is the Christmas train Fantasyland display, also inside the Ohio Center, where you can enjoy a mesmerizing train display brought to you by the Richmond Area Railroaders Society from Richmond, Ind. This display features seven trains on a 16' x 25' multi-level O/G scale setup, including The Polar Express and various scenic elements.
Additionally, the 4-H Building will host a full day of entertainment, including performances by local Darke County band "Mora & The Boys" from 11 a.m. to noon, dance performances by 5678 Dance company from noon to 1 p.m., and a bluegrass performance by Berachah Valley from Franklin between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
By popular demand, the Little Miss & Mister "Fall into Christmas" Pageant will also return. Contestants aged 3-10 will be judged based on costume creativity (Fall or Christmas themed), personality, on-stage questions, and natural beauty (no makeup allowed). If you're interested in participating, please email Jason Blackburn at thepromoterllc@gmail.com for an application.
Don't miss out on this fantastic event that promises to bring joy, delicious food, and unique gifts to your pre-holiday season!