Stillwater Fall Fest defies forecast

STILLWATER — There's a woman who lives in downtown Stillwater named Deborah Drumm who took the day off from her job as a nurse practitioner to make sure everything would run like clockwork at Saturday's 6th Annual Stillwater Township Historical Society's Fall Festival. "I'm in denial," said Drumm, the event's co-chair, the day before the event. "The forecast is absolutely horrible, yet on I go getting everything ready." Whether it was Drumm's enduring spirit or a shift in the clouds, the day dawned without rain and the sun came out occasionally as the festival went on as scheduled. "This is just a neat event," said Lisa Hannah of Stillwater. "It shows what a great town we live in." Maryanne Choma agreed as she watched her first grader, Jackson, make the decision to try the kids sprint and subsequently win. "It's great stuff with hay rides and good old-fashioned fun." The event doesn't have things like bounce houses or imported rides. Rather, in keeping with the Historical Society's values, it features things like Chanmings' Hayride where kids and parents tour the town ending at a pumpkin patch. Other activities included Mr. Hecht's Horse and Carriage and the Itty Bitty Fire Truck as well as a host of games for kids including hula hooping, various tossing games and a hay maze. There was even a genuine Tee-Pee set up that was available for tours as well as a Jersey Mountainman who dressed in full Native American attire to do tomahawk throwing demonstrations. Drumm's co-chair Roy Knutsen was pleased with the turnout, especially given the forecast. The festival was a great collaboration between the Historical Society and the Stillwater Recreation Commission. The two organizations worked in unison to present an amazing celebration of history in a small town.