Well, I don't know if these would be considered improvements, but these are things I miss from fall festivals in the past...
I love the decorations from past years- mums, pumpkins, hay bales, the more the better. One of my early memories of SDC was in the 80's when they stapled fall leaves over top of the awnings of every craft booth, restaurant and overhang. They were actually just leaves that were chemically treated to make them more colorful, but the effect was amazing. I was so young my dad had to explain to me that trees didn't really have leaves that color because I was looking for a tree that made fall leaves that were vivid red yellow and orange and lasted forever. One year in the late 90's they made "milk pail lunch" and it was sold near the entrance to echo hollow. It was stew meat, corn on the cob, potatoes and other veggies, all cooked inside a giant milk pail (I believe over a charcoal fire) and served like soup or stew. It was killer good, but only lasted one season...too healthy for the general public I guess. Back in the early 80's they sold "fresh roasted peanuts" in areas around the park. I think they were just warmed up peanuts in the shell, but they'd scoop out some hot peanuts, put them in a small paper SDC bag and you could shell and eat them as you'd stroll around the park. I loved it, but I'm sure the clean up crews got tired of sweeping up peanut shells. I also miss the assortment of pies and desserts that were available in the Red Gold barn where the dancing is now. Our big group of people would always get a bunch and then share them so everybody would get a sample. I love all of the demonstrating craftsmen and the craft booths, I don't know as they can be improved on. As it is right now I think the fall festival is pretty good, but I'd sure love to see them bring back some of these good things from the past.
