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Leaf Peeper’s Fest draws crowds

The Inter-Mountain photo by Bayli Helmick John Bielik from Shelbyville, Missouri, presents the art of paper marbeling to spectators at the Leaf Peeper’s Festival in Davis on Saturday.

DAVIS — The 29th annual Leaf Peeper’s Festival drew in a multitude of people to a variety of events held this weekend.

Events took place Friday through Sunday in Davis, Thomas and Canaan Valley, with everything from a fireman’s parade, scenic chair lifts and West Virginia Heritage Exhibits to live music, children’s activities, a talent show, car show and the 20th Annual Fall Colors Golf Tournament.

Multiple bands and solo artists performed throughout the county all weekend, such as the Chaga Tea Project, Bear Hill Bluegrass Band, Chad Elliot, with Tommy C. Lewis, Bob Keel, The Railsplitters and Belle of the Fall.

On Saturday, close to 1,500 racers participated in the annual Tucker Community Foundation Run For It fundraiser.

The biggest fundraiser of the year for TCF, the Run For It event featured numerous individuals and teams from a variety of businesses and nonprofit agencies throughout the region.

Diane Hinkle, development director for the Tucker Community Foundation, said this year’s Run For It was very successful, and all records were broken.

“In 11 years, race proceeds to benefit our communities has exceeded $1.5 million. Gotta love this region,” Hinkle said via email after Saturday’s event.

More than $90,000 in cash awards were given to support community organizations, projects, nonprofit agencies, educational activities and charities all located within the Community Foundation’s service area, which includes Barbour, Grant, Mineral, Preston, Pocahontas, Randolph and Tucker counties, as well as Garrett County, Maryland.

Other popular activities during the festival weekend included the annual craft show at the Davis Fire Hall as well as Oktoberfest.

Art showcases and displays took place throughout the weekend at multiple galleries in Davis and Thomas, including the Thomas Art Crawl on Saturday, which featured artspaces such as Creature, White Room, Lamplight Gallery, Gradient and TipTop.

On Sunday, the annual 800 Duck Race took place at the Beaver Creek Bridge. All of the proceeds made from the Duck Race will all go back into the planning and preparing of the 2018 Leaf Peeper’s Festival, scheduled for Sept. 28 to 30, 2018.

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