Find arts and crafts, live music, food and beverages and family fun at the annual McGregor Fall Art Festival, held this Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 10 and 11. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

After several years at Turner Park on the west edge of town, the event returns to downtown McGregor this year—much to the excitement of the community, visitors and vendors, said organizer Ashley Barnes.

“I think there’s a lot of momentum with coming back downtown,” Barnes shared. “The community is excited and all the businesses are ready as well. The vendors have responded extremely well too. I’ve got my highest numbers ever—over 50.”

The McGregor Fall Art Festival will showcase recent enhancements to Triangle Park and the historic brick streets around it. In fact, a ribbon cutting celebrating the completion of work is planned for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10.

“The park is done and looks beautiful, and there’s no road construction. We’ve done a lot of work down here,” Barnes said. “People are ready to see McGregor.”

Arts and crafts vendors will be set up around Triangle Park and on First Street, extending toward the First Street Parking Lot by McGregor Municipal Utilities, as well as on the green space by the park.

“We’re going to have a huge, white event tent on the green space for inside vendors,” Barnes said.

The First Street Parking Lot will remain open for people to park, along with other downtown lots and streets.

Vendors will offer everything from jewelry, woodworking, gloves and hats, decor and candles to photography, leatherworks, pressed flower art, soaps and baked goods.

“There’s a big variety of everything,” noted Barnes.

Along with arts and crafts, attendees can enjoy live music daily. Beau Timmerman and LaBarge will perform on Saturday, then Ann Christoffer and Doubting Thomas on Sunday.

Kids will stay busy with free games, bounce houses, face painting, hair braiding and pumpkin painting. Jeff Mueller returns with horse and carriage rides, and new this year will be special guests Milky Way, Reeses, Hershey and Rolo—four eight-week-old baby goats.

“Last year we had Archie the mini highland cow, and he was a huge hit. We decided to shake it up a bit this year and the committee decided they wanted baby goats,” Barnes said. “ They will be ready to be played with, and we’ll have a photo shoot area.”

The goats will be at the festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days.

Along with American Legion Pocket City Post 267’s beer and brat truck, which will serve up brats, hot dogs, mac and cheese and cold beverages, food this year will largely focus on McGregor businesses instead of food trucks.

“We’ve got businesses here that are ready to feed you. We also have a winery coming,” Barnes said. “They are all super excited to welcome everybody to town for the weekend.”

The McGregor Fall Art Festival is organized by the McGregor-Marquette Center for the Arts/The Left Bank Shop and Gallery. Barnes stressed the event wouldn’t be possible without the board and committee’s support, as well as the support of the community and businesses. Gold sponsors this year include the city of McGregor, The Station, Alpine Communications and the Alexander McGregor Endowment.

She’s excited to welcome both residents and visitors.

“The weather will be great,” Barnes said. “And we always try to make it a fun family event.”