Sharpsburg's Fall Festival expected to draw thousands for pumpkin patch, carriage rides, food and fireworks

A Sharpsburg festival planned for Oct. 2 is pegged to be larger than the borough’s annual Open Streets Celebration that draws thousands.

“To put it mildly, the event has exploded,” said Greg Domian, chair of the borough’s special events committee. “We have three football fields of vendors signed up.”

The Fall Fest will be from 2 to 7 p.m. at Kennedy Park.

Live music will flow through the park, and there will be food trucks and a pumpkin patch.

“All indications are that we will fill the park from one end to the other,” Domian said.

When Open Streets was canceled this year for Main Street construction, Domian promised to deliver a get-together for residents.

He is delivering in a big way, vendor Rosanne Libengood said.

Libengood has become known at local festivals for her homemade hot sausage sandwiches, a recipe that many people came to love years ago when Libengood’s father sold the same treats locally.

Proceeds from her stand will benefit the Michele Sybo Coleman Family Fund to help a Sharpsburg victim of a hit-and-run vehicle accident. She also will organize a 50/50 raffle and Chinese auctions to help the family, Libengood said.

Domian said he expects town to be lively and that it will be a great sight to see after people have endured pandemic-related shutdowns since 2020.

There will be three different live entertainment areas, he said. One is the main stage with continuous music all day; musicians will also play at the pumpkin patch and at the far end of the park.

A 400-square-foot tent will offer a place to sit back and enjoy the entertainment.

North Canal Street will be filled with food trucks. Booths with treats, such as fries, funnel cakes and fudge, will be set up near the gazebo.

“Come hungry,” Domian said.

There will be free activities throughout the park for kids of all ages, including two bounce houses, a slime factory and pumpkin decorating.

“There will be hayrides for children and a Cinderella carriage, pulled by white horses,” Domian said.

A fireworks finale will wrap up the event at 7:15 p.m. while the band “Good Karma” plays.

Visitors should look for festival parking signs to direct them to various lots surrounding Kennedy Park.

“There will be so many things to do, so many different foods, so many different activities,” Domian said. “This event is bigger than any Open Streets celebration we have ever had.”