Fall-in Love on Main Street

“September reminds us to lean into change, to trust the process, and to welcome the opportunities that come with every new chapter. As the air shifts, we are reminded that every ending carries the seed of a new beginning. Life whispers that change is not to be feared, but embraced… a gentle reminder that letting go is a part of growth and that beauty is found not only in what blooms, but also in what transforms.”

― Steve Maraboli

Fall greetings, Main Street Gardnerville!

It’s hard to believe the Autumn equinox is only days away. It seems like only yesterday we were pulling the Hawaiian shirts and crisp linen from the depths of our closet, and here we are, almost ready to put it all away again. Summer came and left in the blink of an eye, but oh, the fun we had while it was here.

It’s no secret, I love autumn and the fall season. It is the season of sacred balance. The threshold moment where day and night stand in equal balance before we journey into the winter months. A time to slow down and harvest what we sowed during the warm summer months, whether it be a harvest to sustain and nourish us, or a harvest of newfound friendships and memories, we celebrate it with an abundance of gratitude.

This beautiful transition shifts us from the languid, carefree days of summer into the stillness of the winter months to come. With each turning leaf painting the landscape from lush green into bold red, orange, and yellow hues, to the delicate dance of each falling leaf. Autumn reminds us in the most beautiful ways to hold fast, a graceful release and impermanence, and that even change can be beautiful, and to embrace it.

But who am I kidding… beautiful transformations aside – Fall is here! Which means my most beloved time of year has arrived…. festival season. I could wax on about the beauty of the season, but the absolute joy is celebrating with one another this beautiful transition, together. Summer may be over, but we are just getting started here.

Last night we celebrated the start of this transition most perfectly at the last Third Thursday Wine Walk of the season: Wines, Vines and Fall Times. The weather was moody, with a coolness in the air and an overcast sky setting the stage with the perfect atmosphere, giving us hints of what’s to come.

It was wonderful to see our merchants and businesses welcome the community with that infectious charm and hospitality we have come to know and love. There was music drifting from one stop to another, smiling faces, and of course, the season veteran wine walkers dressed in full fall mode. We saw you, pumpkin posse! This community is fantastic, always showing up to support our downtown and our merchants, always opening their doors to welcome the wandering walker. We are left with a bit of melancholy as this fantastic summer fundraising event series has officially come to an end, but there is no time for crying on Main Street. We have festivals to host!

We are mere DAYS away from the Annual Coffin Races & Fall Festival, Saturday, October 4, the unofficial, official kick off to fall here in the valley. This event has become a staple and tradition in welcoming Fall into our lives, and it is, by far, my favorite event we host. Year after year, we are so lucky to see our community, families, and young ones build scarecrows, perform for the crowd, enjoy live music, have their faces painted, enjoy a haunted hayride, and watch some coffins racing downtown at Heritage Park. The food, the music, the vendors, and the entertainment. You really have to experience it to believe it.

Our Friend Monique De Haviland is back at the helm, helping to create an incredible lineup of music by local musicians, and our local performers: All About Dance, Dance Workshop, CBP Aerial Arts, and Northwest Martial Arts, not to mention Tahoe Sleigh Rides, will be back with their Haunted Hay Rides. Nothing says welcome Fall than the Fall Festival.

We’re thrilled to have our friends at the East Fork Gallery partnering again this year with their Scarecrow Festival. East Fork Gallery has hosted its Scarecrow Festival for OVER 35 years and combined efforts with Main Street Gardnerville to help create the incredible community event we have today. Over the decades, hundreds, if not thousands, of scarecrows have been made thanks to East Fork Gallery, meaning generations of families have passed down this tradition. It is so special to see this legacy live on.

We are also excited to announce that Heritage Park Gardens, whose idea it was to host a Fall Festival years ago, will be bringing their festivities back to Heritage Park Gardens during this year’s event. There will be so many activities for the young ones, so make sure you pop in and check out this inspiring space, and see firsthand what love can grow.

AND of course, the Slaughterhouse Lane Coffin races! If you’ve never seen a coffin race, you’re missing out on one of Main Street’s most unforgettable spectacles. This will be our tenth year of rubbing and racing, and we can assure you that this year’s annual event will be the best yet! It’s not too late to get your Coffin built and team registered, and we hope you will help us make these the most memorable races yet.

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our generous sponsors: Carson Valley Health, Chase and Sheets, Carson Tahoe Health, Jacobs Berry Farm, JT Basque, Distinct Interiors, Bill Hemphill, and, of course, Settelmeyer Hay. Your support has been instrumental in continuing to make this event a reality, and we are truly grateful for your contribution.

October also means we will be Painting the Town Pink for the month of October. The month will kick off with a proclamation recognizing October as Breast Cancer Awareness month, during the Board of County Commissioners meeting on October 2, at 10 am. The community is invited to attend and WEAR PINK in honor of our survivors and those we hold in memory.

Our fantastic partner, Carson Valley Health, will be dressing the light poles downtown with pink ribbons. Our flower committee is working hard to transition the summer blooms in our flower pots into Pink Flower Bowls that you can sponsor.

Of course, the “Paint it Pink” Fun Run/Walk will be at Heritage Park on Saturday, October 18, at 8am. This is the final run in the We Run This Town 5k series. Participants who complete all three races will receive a limited edition “We Run this Town” T-shirt. Make sure to register soon, and let us know that the cutoff to secure your t-shirt is October 1. Portions of funds raised from these events will be donated to Carson Valley Health Foundation and Carson Tahoe Health Foundation to help their efforts and cancer treatment centers. We can’t think of a better way to give back and have fun while doing it.

We assure you that there is still much in store for you to come, so don’t worry, our time together is far from over. This town thrives because of the people who care, those who celebrate the good, support one another through the hard times, and keep looking forward through transition with hope. We are honored to continue building this vibrant and welcoming community with you.

As we look ahead, it’s impossible not to feel grateful for the way this community shows up, time and again. You are the heartbeat of Main Street Gardnerville.

The summer sun may be setting, but the golden light of autumn is on the horizon. Let’s capture every chance to make Main Street memories together. Remember to keep sharing those smiles, check on your neighbors, slow down, soak it in, tip generously, support local businesses, and, above all, be good to one another.

See you soon, Main Street Gardnerville!