Cooler nights, foggy mornings, color changes in the hills and thoughts of finishing up fall harvest always bring to mind thoughts of Albany and Clinton County’s annual outdoor get-together, and believe it or not, it’s that time once again.

“Come See It Our Way!” invites local citizens ,as well as relatives, friends and other visitors from outside our borders, to come to Albany this weekend for the 42nd annual (dismissing the 2020 COVID pause) party in the Foothills of the Cumberland Mountain range – the Foothills Festival.

Regardless of whether you are coming for the opportunity to see some old friends (or even making new ones), taking in the arts and crafts being offered from the booths set up around the courthouse square, enjoying some of the festive food offerings in the Foothills Food Court, perhaps toe-tapping to some of the musical offerings staged throughout the weekend, perusing the chrome and shine at the car show, or enjoying the always entertaining Saturday afternoon Lip Sync, there is something for everyone in this 2022 Foothills schedule.

Come to think of it, why not just come early, stay late, and take it all in. After all, the weather is supposed to be “Foothills perfect” throughout the weekend, with a forecast of sunny skies and daytime high temperatures reaching into the mid 70s on Saturday.

A quick rundown of the weekend’s offerings

A complete schedule for the weekend lineup of Foothills fun appears this week on page 16, it has long been our tradition at the Clinton County News of keeping our readers informed as to what they can expect to enjoy this weekend, here’s a brief summary of the highlights from this 42nd Foothills Festival.

Things go straight into high gear on Friday around the courthouse square, as arts and crafts vendors begin moving in early to set up their tents, tables and displays of the offerings that will be on sale both days.

Officially, the Arts and Crafts area opens at 10:00 a.m. both days, staying open until the crowd thins each night.

The younger Foothills crowd will surely want to find their way to the Pumpkin Patch area adjacent to First and Farmers National Bank on Jefferson Street, where games, rides, inflatables and other youth attractions will be on hand.

The Pumpkin Patch will open at 11:00 a.m., and remain until about 9:00 p.m. Friday, with a two hour break Friday when the area will close from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for the Foothills Parade. Saturday’s Patch hours will be 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.

Entertainment offerings get started early Friday when the Borderline Dancers are featured near Stage 1 (Albany First Baptist Church) at 10:30 a.m.,

The dancers will be followed by the ever-popular concert performance by two of Clinton County’s favorite groups, the Clinton County High School Band and the Clinton County Alumni Band (Stage 1) at 12:00 noon.

Poster contest winners can be viewed all day in the Clinton County Courthouse.

Foothills crowds will also likely see at least one famous looking face on hand throughout the weekend, with the appearances of Barney Fife (The Andy Griffith Show) impersonator Anthony Woods.

Barney will be in Albany with his vintage 1963 Mayberry Squad car with several appearances both Friday and Saturday.

Entries for the Foothills Pumpkin Decorating/Carving contest and the Lego Building Contest can begin being entered at the Foothills Festival headquarters corner Friday at 1:00 p.m.

Friday’s lineup of activities will see the Foothills crowd move to the west side of the courthouse square in anticipation of the 5:00 p.m. start of the best small town parade in this area, the Annual Foothills Festival Parade.

Finally, Friday’s list of fun heads into the nightcap entertainment concert when Exile brings its hit list to Stage 1 in a repeat appearance to the Foothills Festival.

The free concert (bring a chair) gets underway at 7:00 p.m.

For Saturday, the Foothills fun gets an early start with the 7:00 a.m. registration for the annual running of the Foothills Festival 5K race.

With an 8:00 a.m. start from Mountain View Recreation Park, the race route for both runners and walkers will end at the finish line near Dyer Drug Co., with an awards ceremony to follow in front of Stage 2 (near David Choate Law Office).

Moving a few blocks north-east to the People’s Bank parking lot, some of the region’s shineyest and restored vintage displays of motorized entries will be on hand for everyone to marvel at.

The Foothills Car, Truck, Jeep, Motorcycle and Tractor Show and Shine will feature motorized entries from all eras, past and present, and every mode imaginable. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m., judging is at 1:30 p.m.

A “to be announced” when it happens lineup of local talent will be coming and going all day Saturday on the Foothills Festival Headquarters lawn area.

Of course impromptu concerts of local “pickers and grinners” are certain to be happening all day around the courthouse lawn, with some of the best well known local musicians joining in with what is always an ever-changing lineup.

The return of the second parade of the weekend, the Lil’ Red Wagon Parade will get underway near Stage 1 at 11:00 a.m. (lineup at 10:30 a.m.), and will bring cheers from the Foothills crowd as the youngest float drivers, or actually pullers, make their way along a block-long route of Cross Street.

Two popular contest will move the crowd to Stage 1 on Cumberland Street when the Foothills Hot Dog Eating Contest gets underway at 1:00 p.m., followed by the various divisions of the Parent Child Look-a-Like Contests at 2:00 p.m., also on Stage 1.

Those events lead up to the most popular and largest crowd draw of the weekend, the ever-popular Foothills Lip Sync Contest.

You never know who, or what, might appear during the Foothills Lip Sync Contest, but know for certain that there will be plenty of laughs, hand clapping and toe tapping when this crowd favorite event gets underway at 3:00 p.m. (Stage 2).

Music will again fill the Foothills atmosphere when Raised on Dirt takes Stage 1 at 6:30 to front the night’s main concert act, Legacy, set to begin its classic rock performance at 7:30.

Whew, what a lineup in store with something for everyone regardless of your tastes, age or even cuisine preferences.

Come early, stay late, bring a jacket and some comfortable shoes, and take in the sights, sounds and tastes of everything our 2022 Foothills Festival Planning Committee has put together for everyone to enjoy.

Bigger and better, with the invitation for the 42nd time to the world to . . .

“Come See It Our Way!”