Autumn Leaf Festival to celebrate 60 years

LEAVENWORTH – The Autumn Leaf Festival returns for its 60th celebration over the last weekend of September.

“I'm really looking forward to the community coming out and supporting the parade, actually, Leavenworth’s oldest festival, one of our first festivals here,” said Grand Marshal Rob Eaton.

Founded in 1964, the Autumn Leaf Festival was created to celebrate the turning of the leaves, and to also say thank you to the community and the visitors for coming, said Eaton.

“We have an incredible community here. We have worked over the decades to not only create a thriving business community, but also worked hard to create a very good, strong community,” said Eaton.

This year, the Autumn Leaf Festival will have an array of family friendly events, such as a pumpkin pie eating contest and a scavenger hunt of rocks painted by local artist Candice Ann. The festival is partnering with Leavenworth Arthaus for pumpkin painting, followed by pumpkin rolling down the hill of Front Street Park.

“It's Americana. It's what I grew up with, going to parades, going to events, family friendly stuff, fairs, barbecues, and this is what we try and create in this Northwest Festival Hosting Group, so you get that feeling of family,” said Royal Lady Linda Bradshaw.

Bradshaw has spent the entire spring and summer traveling from one parade to another across the Pacific Northwest, representing Leavenworth and the Autumn Leaf Festival Association (ALFA) as this year’s Royal Lady. Bradshaw even won the Stenberg Award for most creative mini-float at the Portland Rose Festival, with a horse and carriage float made with a golf cart and all organic materials. 

Now, parade groups from each of the towns Bradshaw visited over the summer will gather in Leavenworth to witness and participate in the historic Autumn Leaf Festival, alongside residents and other visitors.

“It's just always exciting to be in front of your hometown, for people to recognize what Autumn Leaf does, because there's a lot of new people in Leavenworth over the last 15 to 20, years, and a lot of them don't know the history of Autumn Leaf…This is a pretty big deal,” said Bradshaw.

The Grand Parade is scheduled for 12 p.m. on Sept. 28. The festival will have live music and entertainment all weekend. 

“I think what people should know is: make sure you go and get out your leaves. That's one, and put them out along the Front Street in the parade route, put them on the street posts, put them out in your yard, put them on your business, in front of your businesses,” said Eaton.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media