MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Town of Marana is hosting its latest annual Fall Festival.
The festival, which runs from 2-9 p.m. on Sat. Oct. 12 at Heritage River Park, celebrates the town’s agricultural and Western heritage.
“A lot of people don’t realize how Marana really started,” Drew Harrison, president of Marana Heritage Conservancy,said. “They were just kind of a one-horse town at one point. Then they just grew into this big city now.”
Harrison says his favorite part of the event is seeing all the kids having fun. “It’s the greatest feeling to see that we can still have a community that can come together and just have a good time,” Harrison said.
Harrison and the Marana Heritage Conservancy, which aims to preserve the town’s history, are just a couple of stakeholders helping make the festival a reality.
Shelby Scheer, Town of Marana special events coordinator, describes the yearly party as a cowboy carnival. “There’s kind of something for all ages at an event like this,” Scheer said.
“It’s a hybrid carnival feel, but very kind of country, fun. I do kind of look at it like you go through different areas of the park and it kind of feels like you’re going to a different land, kind of like when you’re in Disneyland.”
Here's a small list of the things guests can expect to find at the Fall Festival:
- Carnival rides
- Food vendors
- Performances
- Activities
- 'Mutton Bustin’'
- Free dog adoptions
It is free to go, but town leaders and organizers encourage families and guests to make a small donation a non-perishable food item that will help Marana Food Bank and Community Resource Center stock its shelves. “We want to support local, we want to support local nonprofits,” Scheer said.
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Madison Thomas joined KGUN 9 in July of 2023 as a multimedia journalist. She graduated from Arizona State University in May of 2023 with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She has lived in Arizona her entire life and grew up in Douglas. Madison is thrilled to share the stories from the community she grew up in. Share your story ideas and important issues with Madison by emailing madison.thomas@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
