After weeks and weeks and weeks of blue skies with no rain, a predicted 70 percent chance of rain on Halloween has forced organizers to shift Winnfield’s downtown Fall Festival from this Thursday to Saturday.

Currently, weather for Saturday is predicted as being nice, warm and partly cloudy.  Time for the festival is the same at 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  Families can expect to find a lot of fun all the way down Main Street from the Methodist Church to the First Baptist Church.

One change will be location of the Costume Contest.  The Museum is being used for a private event that day so the new contest site will be located at the Farmers Market.  It will be appropriate, right across the street from the Methodist Church’s colorful Pumpkin Patch.  Parents will want to have their youngsters there by 5 p.m. for registration because judging in the various age categories begins at 5:30 p.m.

Also please note that the Duck Hunting Contest and the Pumpkin-Painting Contest will both hold their Halloween deadlines, according to the sponsoring Sheriff’s Office.  Pumpkins for the contest need to be turned in at the Sheriff’s Office before 5 p.m. Thursday because that’s when the judging will begin.  Ducks should be turned in between 5 and 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

Despite the rain delay, the rest of the 2024 Fall Festival is planned to fill Main Street Winnfield with fun and activity from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Saturday,” says Shonna Moss at the Louisiana Political Museum.  Trunk or Treat for the children will be discovered along Main Street, including the Pumpkin Patch and food at the Methodist Church to the west and Bounce Houses at the Baptist Church to the east.

Revelers are reminded of a new event, a Hayride through Winnfield which will carry passengers past hauntingly decorated city blocks just off the thoroughfare of Main.

Not much time remains for Decorating Pumpkin for the contest sponsored by the Winn Parish Sheriff’s Office.  There are four age categories in this kids-only contest (through age 18).  Participants will need to use their own pumpkin and supplies for their painted (not carved) pumpkins.  

The Duck Hunt for ages 18 and younger is also new to the Festival, also sponsored by the WPSO.  Little rubber ducks of all colors and personalities will be hidden in plain sight (no digging necessary) along Main Street from the Methodist Church to the Museum.  Participants are asked to limit themselves to five ducks in order to allow as many children and youth as possible to take part.   Among the hidden ducks will be four distinctively-marked ducks that will earn special prizes for the finders.

One more thing:  for the babies-only (ages under 5), hidden will be clear mini-ducks.  Not available to the older children, these will be keepsakes for the youngsters.