New Leechburg fall festival draws crowd to borough park

Sherry Lockhart of Leechburg couldn’t help but take a trip down memory lane as she petted some of the animals brought to the borough by a Worthington-based farm Saturday afternoon.

She affectionately stroked the chin of Samson, a nearly 2-year-old Brahman steer, as she thought about her days growing up on a dairy farm in McKean County.

“I love it,” said Lockhart, 65. “You don’t get to see llamas and Brahman bulls in town, y’ know. Look at this. They’re all big babies. I’ll take that Brahman bull home. As big as they are, they’re so gentle. … I do miss the dairy farm.”

Steers, donkeys, rabbits, yaks, cows, an Asian water buffalo and other creatures came courtesy of Country Flair Farm’s Petting Zoo and Wagon Rides for the inaugural Leechburg Frightening Fall Festival at Riverfront Park.

The business is owned and operated by former Leechburg resident Heidi (Kasanicky) Cole and her husband, Mike Cole. She had reached out to the Leechburg Area Community Association to see if her pets could be a part of the festival.

“It’s nice to be able to share what we’re doing now with the kids and the people, and to expose them to some exotic animals,” Heidi Cole said. “It’s definitely enjoyable.”

At least 200 people stopped by the five-hour festival co-organized by association volunteers Molly Hill and Doreen Smeal.

They began making calls and signing people up in late April. About 50 vendors, including 38 crafters and several food trucks, participated.

“I never thought we’d have this many on our first time,” Hill said. “We’re so grateful that they decided to give us a chance. There’s nothing we really needed to do (with the park). The place is just beautiful on its own beside the river. Just dealing with organizing everybody and getting them in their slots, lining up help.

“We coordinate with the Leechburg schools for community service.”

About a dozen students from Leechburg Area School District assisted, including sixth grader Erik McDonald, who explained what he and his classmates accomplished.

“We’ve carried water for the animals,” he said. “We’ve helped people set up all their tents and helped decorate the canopies. We’ve helped in just any other general stuff. (It’s) going pretty well. (It’s) hot out.

“We like helping people. It’s pretty nice to not be with complete strangers. A lot of people want to be a part of the community and sell stuff.”

Smeal said they hope to make the fall festival an annual tradition.

“This is all for the businesses in Leechburg, to come have people come in (and) see what we have available here,” Smeal said. “We’re one of the very fortunate little towns that have a main highway that still goes through town. There’s not very many storefronts that are empty. We’re very lucky in that sense. Let’s show the people what Leechburg has.

“(We thought) what can we do? (Riverfront Park) is a whole other venue that we haven’t yet explored, and it hadn’t been used enough. Our first thought was: ‘Let’s do a fall festival down here.’ ”

One of the vendors was Kira Karpinski, owner of Double K Leatherworks and Anarchy Acres Farmstead in Gilpin. Karpinski, who is also part of the Leechburg Area Community Association, said she was excited for the opportunity to showcase her wares in a new way.

“It’s a new event and there’s a ton of vendors,” she said. “It’s highlighting an area in the town that we don’t use very much, so I think it’s a really great opportunity.”

Karpinski had various leather goods as well as goat’s milk lotion, fresh baked Italian bread and pumpkin pies. Her son, Cody, provided hay rides via his antique tractor about every half-hour.

Leechburg family members Kennamae Grantz, 7, mother Dusty Grantz and father Rich Grantz strolled through Riverfront Park as characters from the Scooby-Doo cartoon.

“We were at a kids Halloween party before this, so we did a group costume for that,” Dusty Grantz said. “We love to participate in the small-town events. That’s why we love living in Leechburg.”

Kennamae said she loved the petting zoo and seeing Minion water bottles.

Among the vendors were Highlander Jerky, The Phoenix Nest, Melissa’s Crafts N’at Creations, Top Notch Tumblers, Pasta Bills, Rittner’s Farmhouse Bakery, Aunt Kellie’s Cookies, Xtina LOVEs Crafting, Pittsburgh Coffee Co., The Gravy Griddle, Haus’s BBQ and PGH Crepes.

The community association is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting Leechburg. It hosts Halloweenburg, Flowerpots/Beautification of Leechburg, Luminate Leechburg and other events in the borough.