Salamanca's 33rd Annual Falling Leaves Festival

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 they 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. 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, local favorite musical groups and disc jockey, several radio station live remotes with on-air personalities and the spectacular Falling Leaves Car Show on Main Street. In the Kid’s Zone you will find amusement rides, carnival games, Morton’s Petting Zoo and Pony Rides, Eric the Caricaturist and the Balloon Man. Don't forget about coming to watch the hilarious Bed Races, Hula Dog, Hot Dog and Hula Hoop contests. One of the crowd favorites is always the USA Amateur Boxing Competition. This year’s Fists of Fury III  will begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday. The competition will feature several exciting bouts, a top name boxing announcer and the famous “Knockout Factory Knockouts” round card girls. 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 and much more!

For more information on this event please visit http://salamancachamber.org