Search

[Gilligan]

On our last visit to the park, my husband and I started talking about the changes we noticed during the fall festival and what we thought would improve it.  We both noticed that beyond Main Street there were no fall decorations (this was mentioned in another thread, also).  We miss the way it used to be decked out! If I could figure out how to post pics, I have some from two years ago that show the City in it's glory. We were glad to see they were still making sorghum, but you can't smell it as you enter the park like you could in the past. Mostly we thought about food (hey! It was lunch time!) - such as how much better it would have been if we could have found ...caramel apples, pumpkin funnel cakes (still thinking about those! sigh!), chili and cornbread, beef stew, apple cider (both hot and cold), and hot chocolate.  We live near an apple farm that sells apple cider slushies that are to die for!  I think if SDC offered them, we'd be standing in long lines waiting for them!  Maybe I should suggest that to them.

[mhguy77]

In years past I believe they had the Taste of the Nation or something like that.  This consisted of using the Red Gold as a large eating facility.  T Hey had booths from different parts of the country and you could have southwest foods and Eastern Dishes ect, different desserts, it was a nice change.  For some reason they stopped doing this.  I thought it was a great idea.
Back then they had bands dancing and food.
Now its just a band with dancing.

[MissinTheGreenTrams]

maybe its the poor economy talking here. They have to cut back somewhere to save on costs and this is one of the ways they found that would save money. It sucks I know but I would rather miss out on good food to keep the city going.

[rubedugans]

APPLE CIDER SLUSHIES??? You just blew my mind!!! (With this, and McRib being back...Man life is good!) I want one, and would stand a while in line for that! I might have to try to make one of my own in one of those frozen mug thingy's.

[DollarCityBoy]

While the fall decorations are not what they use to be, we were pleased to see the crafts being brought back into the city this year. Over the years it seemed the crafts went down hill and were not as plentiful as it once was. This year the crafts seem to be back in its glory, not just on main street, but all over the park.
We do miss the food in Red Gold Heritage Hall, that was always a lot of fun & a special treat.

[Gilligan]

I wasn't trying to be critical of the fall festival, and I'm not sure any of the foods I mentioned have ever been offered at the park.  Well, except for caramel apples - they had huge ones in a place near Tom and Huck's Hideaway years ago.  I just thought that if they offered many of our fall favorites, they might be big sellers!  And, yes, once you have an apple cider slushie, life will never be the same - THEY ARE THAT GOOD! 

[MissinTheGreenTrams]

hmmmm that sounds uber amazing.....sign me up butter cup!

[Ozark Outlaw]

maybe its the poor economy talking here. They have to cut back somewhere to save on costs and this is one of the ways they found that would save money.

Exactly. Why spend money on decorations, when nature changes the color of leaves for free?

Yeah, I know. It's not the same.

[biscuitcreek]

I wish there had been more music during the festival -- wish it were the festival of Craftmanship and Music.  Riverside Playhouse was not used at all during the festival -- or during the summer other than for the St. John's employee appreciation.

Love the suggestions about food -- caramel apples, apple cider slushies, pumpkin bread.

[sanddunerider]

Biscuit your right about the riverside playhouse.  It sit vacant for MOST of the year..In fact I dont think it was used after the bluegrass festival..

Thats a pretty big building with lots of seating,,,,,,

I wonder why??

what is their thinking on that?

[MissinTheGreenTrams]

The less they use it the less they have to pay on electric/heating/cooling bills? Thats my guess.

[sanddunerider]

i know that's right trams.. BUT if you are trying to draw people in, and you have "themes" all year long.....  wouldnt you find an event or show to have in an empty theatre..??     To draw people in?

[Kentucky Optimist]

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.

[cheesehead57]

We miss all of the entertainment that they used to have for the Fall Festival....all of the theaters were used and they had little stages set up all around the park.

[Harp]

Wow! I did not notice fewer decorations, probably because i am so enamored with the whole fall scene. The craft scene was great this year, new stuff to see, perfect weather, etc. For me and my house it is the absolute best time in the Ozarks and SDC in particular.

Harp