Paris, Tenn. – This year’s Atkins-Porter Neighborhood Fall Festival has added several more exciting activities for the free event set for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, October 12 on the grounds of the AP Rec Center on Walnut Street in Paris.
Sponsored by the Historic Atkins-Porter Neighborhood Association, the Festival itself runs from 11 am – 3 pm (rain or shine) with a fun run scheduled for early morning.
“Among new activities for this second-annual event are historic, guided wagon tours, rock painting, face painting, a decorated photo booth, freshly pressed apple cider, sideway chalk art and story time,” according to Co-Chair Vickey Roberts.
The inaugural, 1-Mile Neighborhood Fun Run/Walk winds through the streets of the historic area and kicks off at 8 am with registration beginning at 7:15 am. A $5 entry fee helps support the Neighborhood Association. All entrants receive a prize.
The exciting, “Touch A Truck” area will return featuring a wide variety of emergency vehicles, including a fire truck, ambulance and police car. Children can even touch a helicopter when the Air Evac Lifeteam and Vanderbilt LifeFlight helicopters land onsite. Emergency professionals will be on hand to answer questions and pose for photos. “Children love to get up close and personal with these vehicles and visit with the operators,” Roberts said.
Back by popular demand are Paris Landing State Park Birds of Prey and an old-fashioned cakewalk. Beautiful arts and crafts, as well as fall mums and pumpkins will be for sale. A registration form for arts and crafts vendors is available on the Atkins-Porter Facebook page or by calling 731-336-0278.
Lunch will be hot off the grill from the Henry County Sheriff’s Department Grilling Team and Kroger. It will be available from 11 am – 1 pm or as long as the hotdogs, chips, water and cookies last. Lunch donations are encouraged to help the Historic Atkins Porter Neighborhood Association fund its community activities.
For more information on HAPNA in the Park, email Vickey Roberts at vickeyroberts@msn.com call 731-336-0278, visit the Atkins-Porter Neighborhood on Facebook or HAPNA.org.
Photo: Little Jernigan Harris enjoyed his tour of the Air Evac helicopter with Pilot John Munson. (Shannon McFarlin photo).