Pumpkin bowling was a fun activity at last year’s fall festival at the San Moritz Lodge. (File photo by Rhea-Frances Tetley)

Two Fall Festivals in Crestline this month

By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY
Staff Writer

As you drive down the streets in the various mountain communities, you see the leaves on the trees changing colors and the wind blowing them from the trees, getting the trees prepared for the oncoming winter. This is the time when farmers would traditionally bring in the crops from the fields and people would be preparing for the upcoming winter.
In Southern California, we think of celebrating the fall with festivals and the fun of getting back together with other community members, now that the summer tourists have left the mountain.
Next weekend, on Saturday, Nov. 12, is the family-friendly Top Town Fall Festival in the old town area of Crestline. This festival, which lasts from 1 to 4 p.m., features food; there will be a food truck, Mountain Craving will have their outdoor vending grill, the Crestline-Lake Gregory Rotary Club will have their pulled pork sandwiches and, new this year, there will be a beer garden coordinated by SoCal Beer.
There will be games for the child in everyone and live music by the Green Label Orchestra, featuring Joey who owns The Lake Mud Pottery Shop, which is now located in Top Town in the historic building where Walt’s Hardware was located many years ago.
The festival is being held on a section of Crest Forest Drive in Top Town, which will be closed to traffic between Highway 138 and the Bear House Restaurant at the corner of Woodland Drive.
There will be free fall crafts and a bounce house for the kids, face painting and many artisan vendors, plus the stores will be open for shopping for those looking to start their holiday buying and want to avoid the crowded malls. Chalk art on the street is one of the fun activities that adults and kids have enjoyed creating on Crest Forest Drive over the years and it usually lasts until the next rainstorm. Street parking is available east of Highway 138 on Crest Forest Drive.
This fun activity is being coordinated by the Crestline Chamber of Commerce, which hopes all residents will come up and enjoy this event in Top Town, the historic business district of Crestline, established in the 1920s, almost 100 years ago.
Some of those original buildings have been preserved and are now being used as retail space for stores such as My Favorite Things, Mystwood Gallery and Hearth and Sage. The seniors thrift store was a former market and what was the “Town Hall” is now the Bear House Restaurant.
The second annual Lake Gregory Fall Festival will occur the following Saturday, Nov. 19, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather permitting, in The Meadow next to the east shore of Lake Gregory. Last year, it was held next to the San Moritz Lodge, but this year it will be focused on the other side of the creek, on the new grassy meadow, to allow more room for parking. The walking track around the meadow will be used for the 20 vendors and some game booths. There should be relay races and other activities for all.
There will be vendors and several games with prizes, including, hopefully, the popular pumpkin bowling, which was a hit last year. There will also be static fall displays with hay bales for selfies. Several food trucks have promised to be there. Come wander, see your friends, explore the new bait and tackle shop and see the new docks on the east of the lake. The entry to the festival and parking is free.