CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – Autumn Leaf Festival organizers are gearing up for the 65th Annual event that runs from September 29 to October 7.

More than 500,000 people attend the internationally award-winning annual event.

The theme for this year’s festival, sponsored by the U.S. Army, is “A Timeless Tradition.”

Tracy Becker, the Executive Director of the Clarion Chamber of Business and Industry, said ALF organizers and volunteers have already been busy preparing for the extremely popular event.

Becker noted the committee still needs volunteers to help with some events.

“If anyone wants to be part of ALF, we are always looking for more volunteers; there are so many different things,” Becker said.

“People can volunteer at so many of the events. It truly does take a village to put on a festival.”

Joe Wolf, the 2017 ALF co-chair, will be chairing this year’s event.

There are a few changes to ALF 2018, including a major expansion of the Foodstock program.

The Clarion County Community Bank Foodstock, a countywide food drive that collects non-perishable, non-expired food items, benefiting thirteen local food banks, is offering more locations than ever before this year in honor of its 20th year.

Collection containers for Foodstock will be available throughout the month of September at fifty locations around Clarion County.

The community can also join C-93 and Sapphire Moon to RAM up Foodstock at Clarion Ford Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM on Tuesday, October 2, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

“What’s nice about this year is that Clarion Ford came to us and said ‘We would like to have everything out here,’ and it made sense because if it happens to be raining that day, which has happened in the past, this way everything is indoors. They can open the garage door, drive through the back, load everything up, and once they’re done, we can open up the gate, they go out, and everybody stays dry,” Becker said.

“Another nice thing, for the month of July, every used car they sold, they took $30.00 to put into a fund, and at the beginning of August, they used that to buy food. Right now they have over fourteen hundred items at their location.”

A major addition to this year’s ALF schedule is the United States Army Drill Team, a precision drill platoon whose primary mission is to showcase the U.S. Army, both nationally and internationally through their rifle routines. They perform for military, government, non-profit, and civilian organizations including the Super Bowl and at the White House for special Presidential events.

This year, they will be performing in front of the Courthouse on Main Street, in Clarion, on Saturday, September 29, at 12:30 p.m.

Another change involves the Miss Teen and Miss Junior Teen ALF Scholarship Program, which has now added the “Miss Petite” category for girls in fifth and sixth grade. The deadline for registration is 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 5, and the event will be held Saturday, September 29, at 6:30 p.m.

There will also be some new souvenirs available at the Clarion Area Chamber of Business & Industry, including ALF ornaments that are locally etched by Etch N Time Laser Engraving, leaf ornaments, tic-tac-toe games, and cheese cutting boards with cheese knives.

The classic festival tumbler glasses will also be available, along with t-shirts, sweatshirts, Clarion-opoly games, jewelry, key chains, and Clarion postcards.

Featured events include carnival rides and amusements, food vendors, the Miss Junior Teen and Miss Teen ALF, the Autorama Cruise-in, the Tournament of Leaves parade, antique tractor show, Cultural Nights, and the popular Farmer’s and Crafter’s Show.

Several events are sponsored by the Clarion Chamber of Business and Industry.

The full schedule is not yet available but will be posted soon on the Clarion Chamber of Business & Industry website.