By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY

Staff Writer

The Crestline Top Town Fall Festival on the afternoon of Veteran’s Day was “a total success,” said Chamber President Michelle Hake, with hundreds of visitors enjoying the music, the vendors’ booths and food and drinks.

The stage was set up in front of the Old Rustic Cottage. The High-D Boys – sponsored by Elevate Realty, Cozy Cabins and the Osorio Brother’s restaurant – rocked out the afternoon. The band members said they felt appreciated by the crowd.

The Top Town Fall Festival has been a yearly event, both before and after COVID, for about the past decade. The festival attracts residents and visitors up to the Top Town area of Crestline, with some people discovering the many unique shops in Top Town, including Hearth and Sage, Mystwood Gallery, Ye Old Thrift Store and My Favorite Things.

This family-friendly event had eight artisan booths, a beer garden, bounce houses, crafts for any age, face painting, balloons, food from the Goodwin’s pop-up, hot pizza and so much more. The Lions Club was there, offering water and other helpful items. There was Toss Ball to play, an inflatable obstacle course and a cute and well-used carousel was set up next to the Boys & Girls Club booth.

The vendors’ booths and the stores in Top Town attracted many who were beginning their holiday shopping.

Some of the vendors were The Metal House Fabricators, Mountain Harmony, Sterling Feather, the Rainbow Studio, Bea’s Cha Cha, Wears the Mountain, Eve’s Dream and Lydian Art. The Lake Gregory Company was there, too.

Hake said she was thrilled with the afternoon festival and the street was filled with happy people and their children. The weather was excellent for the afternoon event, which went from 1 to 4 p.m.

While the adult festival goers were enjoying the band, having fun shopping and in the beer garden, the children were enjoying themselves on the bounce house obstacle course, playing the blow-up Toss Ball game and riding on the carousel. Some adults and kids had fun drawing with the chalk on the street. The chalk will remain on the street until the rains come.

The carousel had a line waiting to ride for much of the afternoon.

Of course, the restaurants in Top Town were open, as were all the stores, some offering discounts for the festival goers, as some of the people began to think about starting their holiday shopping.

Artist John Arthur of Mystwood Gallery was there and drew some beautiful, almost life-size, portraits during the afternoon. Those fortunate ones to receive them, were thrilled. “I am so happy with this,” said Sarah, who had a big grin on her face as she showed it off. “I plan to frame it and keep it forever.”

The sponsors for this Crestline Chamber of Commerce-sponsored event included the Arrowhead Brewing Company, the Crest Forest Senior Citizens Club, the Rimforest Animal Hospital, Toni’s Mexican Kitchen, Jim’s Automotive, Pinnacle Plumbing, Lake Drive Hardware, Leaf Filter Rain Gutter Protection, Mountain Auto Service and Towing, Mountain Auto Parts, Debbie Baker Realtor for Wheeler Steffen/Sotheby’s Realty and A. Polston Concrete.