Who knew that Allentown once had a fall festival? Apparently 15 years ago it did. And now it’s coming back, which is awesome because fall is my favorite season and there should be more fall festivals.

On October 11, 2014, the Allentown Association is bringing back this tradition, featuring live music, street performers, art and artisan vendors, beer tents, food trucks, a farmers’ market and a Children’s and Family area with performers, face-painting, a petting zoo and a whole lot more.

The entire event will be preceded by a Buffalo Bike Ride, organized by GOBike Buffalo. The ride will start at 10am at GO Bike headquarters (640 Ellicott Street), and arrive at Allen Street and Delaware sometime around noon to 1pm. It’s a 27-mile ride throughout historic Buffalo streets, extending from Allentown to MLK Park and then South Buffalo, to the waterfront and LaSalle Park (where some riders will break away back to the festival while others will continue on a longer leg before joining up with the others.

“Bicycling is an integral part of Allentown life,” says Jim Nash, Allentown Association board member and Buffalo Bike Ride organizer. “The Allentown Association is proud to help present the Buffalo Bike Ride as an introduction to Allentown and to the visual beauty of the City of Buffalo.”

*Registration for the ride is $35 and can be done on the morning of the event, but pre-registration is encouraged. Participants will receive an event t-shirt and food vouchers good for any food vendor at the Fall Festival. The Buffalo Bike Ride is produced by the Allentown Association in collaboration with GObike Buffalo, with proceeds benefiting both organizations.

More information and registration is available at www.gobikebuffalo.wildapricot.org under the EVENTS menu.

Following is an update from the festival committee at the Allentown Association:

Allen Street, Buffalo’s premiere destination for Art and Entertainment, will be closed from Delaware Avenue to Main Street and will feature live music on stage from 2:00-9:00 PM. Great local bands will perform throughout the day including Pine Fever, The Freshwater Four, David Kane, Intrepid Travelers and Aircraft, along with a professional DJ spinning music in between sets.

Two beer tents on Allen St. will feature Labatt Blue, Blue Light, Flying Bison Octoberfest and Mckenzie’s Hard Cider along with Pepsi-Cola and soft drinks. Food vendors and over 25 artist booths, along with food trucks, will enhance the atmosphere and provide unique shopping and dining in addition to over a dozen great restaurants located on Allen Street.

For the young and young at heart, a special Family Fall Celebration area will be located at the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site, just North of Allen St. at 641 Delaware Ave. Franklin Street will be closed from Allen to North Street so that Festival goers can easily travel the half block from the Family Celebration to Allen Street

The Family Fall Celebration goes from 1:00-5:00 PM and will include muscians, acrobats, a petting zoo with over a dozen different animals to meet and interact with, face painting – and each child will have the opportunity to select a pumpkin to paint and take home as a souvenir of the day.

Fall Festival is FREE and open to all of Western New York. For full event details, visit www.allentown.org.