Falling Leaves Festival
October 1-3, 2010
Discover the beautiful fall foliage along the Allegheny River!
This year Salamanca is celebrating its 33rd Annual Falling Leaves Festival. In late1975, members of various Salamanca fraternal and service organizations were concerned that civic pride was declining and decided to form a committee to rectify the situation, so Paul D. Formica, with his wife Sandra, formed a committee which was called the Salamanca Positive Action Committee (SPAC). The mission was to develop ideas to restore civic pride, improve the look of Main Street and attract new businesses to the area. One of the ideas the SPAC discussed was holding a festival in the fall, which became known as the Falling Leaves Festival. The first Falling Leaves Festival was created and produced September 30-October 3, 1976 and was held in multiple locations; food concessions and entertainment were in Jefferson Street Park, art & craft and civic vendors were located at old City Hall and in the Mall, and a dance was held right in the middle of Jefferson Street. Through the years, the festival has taken on different shapes and colors. Rosie Hoag, who was President of the Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce Chamber in the early 1990’s, recalls that, “People worked hard all year long to put on the festival and that’s what accounted for its success.” SPAC organized the event for its first seven years and then turned it over to the Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce. In the early 1990’s, the City of Salamanca managed the festival until it was again turned back over to the Chamber, which is still managing the event today. The Chamber is confident that this year’s festivities will be as spectacular and memorable and the first year was.
The Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce is seeking to make the 33rd Annual Falling Leaves Festival just as successful as it was back in 1976. The festival held at Jefferson Street Park and is jam packed with exciting things to do every minute. This event filled weekend will feature art & craft vendors, new this year - Outdoors and Sportsman Show, local favorite musical groups, several radio station live remotes with on-air personalities and the spectacular Falling Leaves Car Display by the Chautauqua Lake Region Antique Automobile Club of America (CLRAACA) on Main Street. In the Kid’s Zone you will find amusement rides, carnival games, Morton’s Petting Zoo and Pony Rides, and the Balloon Man. Do not forget about coming to watch the hilarious Bed Races, Hula Dog, Hot Dog and Hula Hoop contests. Of course, the highlight of the weekend will be the Falling Leaves Grande Parade. The parade will include the Mayor of Salamanca, Pow Wow Princess, the Falling Leaves Queen and her court, mounted law enforcement, floats, marching bands, National Guard units, youth dance groups, Antique Cars and much much more!
You will not want to miss all the excitement of the 33rd Annual Falling Leaves Festival!
To be a part of the Falling Leaves Festival, click on the links below:
Arts & Crafts Vendor Application
Arts & Crafts Vendor Rules & Regulations
Food Concessions
Food Concessions Rules & Regulations
Civic Organizations
Outdoors & Sportsmans Show
5K Run/Walk:
Saturday, October 2 - registration at 8:00 am and race begins at 9:00 am
Click here for the 5K Run/Walk Entry Form
In the news...
Outdoors & Sportsman Show at Falling Leaves Festival
33rd Annual Falling Leaves Festival Announced
Falling Leaves Festival Looking for Grande Parade Participants
For more information contact the Salamanca Area Chamber of Commerce at (716) 945-2034.
Come one and all and enjoy all the wonderful festivities!
