Record Numbers Turn Out for Festival of Leaves in Downtown Front Royal

“God played nice with us,” said Mayor Lori Cockrell, referring to the exquisitely beautiful fall weather that attended Saturday’s celebration of the fifty-second annual Festival of Leaves in downtown Front Royal on Main and Chester Street and around the Gazebo. Cockrell remembers the good times when she played the part of a leaf in a theatrical production that was part of the festival as she remembers it. Indicating the crowd, she believed it to be the largest turnout in recent years.

Car show on Main Street at the Festival of Leaves, featuring cars, motorcycles, and a fire engine. Royal Examiner Photo Credits: Brenden McHugh.

With over two hundred vendors, seventeen food trucks, a car show, and live music, the atmosphere downtown was intoxicatingly happy from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the second Saturday of October when every year residents of Front Royal as well as visitors support the local businesses by coming to see what they have to offer in a festive, family-friendly environment. What immediately greeted the eye near the intersection of Main Street and Royal Avenue was a lineup of cars, motorcycles, and a fire engine. This exhibition was sponsored by Aaron Jones of Jackrabbit Moto Shop with the intent of giving anyone interested the opportunity to show off their proud possessions. With thirty days to prepare for it, he expressed that it was very important to him to have a wide variety of models on display and to generate a space in which kids could safely approach the vehicles. Indeed, many parents milled in the area with their children, viewing the sweet rides that anybody would be proud to own.

Art on stilts!

Jig ‘n’ Jive Dance Studio performs Irish dance here, followed by some swing and ballroom.

Proceeding down Main Street, one of many booths was occupied by Reaching Out Now, a non-profit with a vision for reopening the Santmyers Youth Center. Talking to RON’s vice president, Sina May, it became evident that the vision is about to become a reality, as RON will host the official opening of the center on November 1. In advance of the opening, RON was present at the festival to conduct its first day of open registration for students who would like to benefit from the revitalized youth center. May said the RON team is “beyond excited”. It has been a long and hard road for them to reach this point. Walking on down the packed street, anyone would hear the music coming from the Gazebo. Of all the things that give the festival its character, perhaps the music is one of the greatest contributions, this time provided by three different bands that played at alternate times throughout the day: Another Fine Mess in the morning, the Sidemen in the early afternoon, and Off the Cuff brought the day to a conclusion. Jig ‘n’ Jive Dance Studio was also present that day, offering entertainment with Irish, swing, and ballroom dance.

Above: Fun with hula hoop. Below: “Off the Cuff” band entertains a responsive, dancing audience. (L) to (R): Dewey Vaughan on vocals and guitar; Lenny Barnhart on keyboard; Reno Vaughan on vocals; James Vaughan on drums; Grace LoPresti on vocals; Dean Smith on bass; and Adam Irwin on guitar. Photo Credits: Roger Bianchini.

This yearly celebration of Front Royal and the convenience it provides may be over, but the excitement it generated will live on as locals continue the fall season with a better idea of where to take their business.