Autumn magic's in the air

By Staff
Cooler weather perfect for outdoor festival fun
Scarecrow Trail
This September and October, get ready for some good old-fashioned fall fun at the Huntsville Botanical Garden's fourth annual Scarecrow Trail. Eighty fabulous, weird, funny, and traditional scarecrows lurk along the garden's trails. Previous years saw giant ants and spiders, astronauts, Sponge Bob, NASCAR heroes, giant bats and plenty of aliens. Other Scarecrow Trail activities include the creepy one-acre Sorghum Maze for kids of all ages, and hayrides around the garden on the weekends. Traditional music groups will entertain on weekends.
Additional information on Scarecrow Trail is available at www.hsvbg.org or by calling 830-4447.
Eva Frontier Days
Eva Frontier Days will begin Saturday, Sept. 17 and continue through Sept. 24 with fun for the entire family. For more information, call 796-7023 or 796-6981. The first event is the Bluegrass Festival on Saturday, Sept. 17 with picking and grinning at 3 p.m. and the main show at 6 p.m. featuring Stan Nelson &Hurricane Creek Band, Gravel Ridge, Madison County Boys and Free Indeed. The event will be held at Eva School and admission is $5. Bring your instruments for picking and grinning.
A hayride will be held Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 6:30 p.m. and a community singing will be held Thursday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m.
Eva Frontier Days will conclude Saturday, Sept. 24 with a craft show, games for all ages, train rides, food vendors and much more available throughout the day.
Townspeople are asked to dress in frontier attire. Other events include:
Antique Tractor Show and Car Show–Registration at 9 a.m.
Parade at 11 a.m.
Fun Run and Eva School at 9 a.m.
Baking Contest with cash awards at 10:30 a.m.
Quilt Square Contest with cash awards at 11 a.m.
Barbecue Pork Cook-Off with cash awards
Live entertainment at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.
Best Dressed Contest at 1:15 p.m.
Cross-Cut Saw Contest with cash awards at 1 p.m.
Pig Calling Contest at 3:15 p.m.
Frog Jumping Contest at 4 p.m.
Greased Pig Chase at 5 p.m.
Shade Tree Picking throughout the day–Bring your instruments and lawn chairs.
White Farms Corn Maze
For some fall fun, visit White Farms Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch in Decatur. Visitors can experience the corn maze by taking on the challenge of a life-size puzzle. Families can also enjoy a hayride out to the pumpkin patch to locate that perfect pumpkin.
The Haunted Maze is open on weekends in October. Admission for the Maze Experience is $8 for adults, $5 for children 6-11, children 5 and under are free.
The Pumpkin Patch is open at 11 a.m. on Saturdays and 1 p.m. on Sundays. The tour to the pumpkin patch includes a hayride and trip to the Pumpkin Patch to pick a pumpkin. The cost is $6. A display is available for family pictures.
For more information on the White Farms Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch, call 350-3133.
Trail of Tears
The 12th annual Trail of Tears Commemorative Motorcycle Ride and related events will be held on Sept. 17-19 at locations throughout North Alabama. Event organizers anticipate more than 150,000 motorcyclists to participate in the ride. This ride is the largest motorcycle ride of its type in the United States.
The route will begin in Chattanooga, Tenn. on Sept. 17 and travel through North Alabama, mostly along Highway 72 to Waterloo. On Sept.18, riders will depart from Muscle Shoals and travel to Hot Springs, Ark.. The last day of the event, Sept.19, riders will travel from Hot Springs to Okmulgee, Okla.
On Sept. 17, The Alabama Music Hall of Fame in Tuscumbia will have a concert on the grounds featuring David Allan Coe and Confederate Railroad. Gates open at 3 p.m. and the concert begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 day of concert and there will be limited reserved seating for $30. For tickets and information call 381-4417.
Markers along the motorcycle route honor American Indians who were routed through the town of Waterloo in northwest Alabama as part of the forced relocation of Cherokees, along with Choctaws, Chickasaws, Creeks and Seminoles, from the southeast United States to Oklahoma.
A tribe of 1,070 began the perilous journey in Chattanooga, with hundreds dying during the 23-day march and many others escaping to the woods.
World Racking Horse Celebration
The 2005 show season for Alabama's official state horse will culminate with the 34th annual Racking Horse World Celebration Sept. 16-24 at Celebration Arena in Priceville. More than $100,000 in total prize money will be awarded during the 147-class national points show.
The nine-day event is the largest Racking Horse show in the country. The World Celebration is expected to attract more than 1,000 horses and riders of all ages for competition in lead line, juvenile, amateurs and professional classes. An estimated 70,000 spectators will attend the show, said officials with the Racking Horse Breeders Association.
The event will include a fish fry, barn parties and entertainment. The show starts at 6 p.m. each night and general admission tickets are $5.
For a complete schedule of events, contact the Racking Horse Breeders' Association at 353-7225 or email rhbaa67horse@aol.com.