This weekend in Bryan, OH

Celebrate the season at a community festival featuring family friendly activities, a marketplace of autumn crafts, delicious food, and showcases from local businesses, all set in a cheerful fall atmosphere. This gathering is a highlight of the season for many, offering a welcoming place to explore, shop, and enjoy the flavors of fall together.

Author and genealogist Sunny Morton will lead a free seminar at the Serrick Center on the Defiance College campus. The program features two sessions with practical genealogy tips, focusing on confirming family stories and using U.S. church records to overcome tough research obstacles, with a lunch break between sessions. Registration is required. Open to adults. To register, call 419-782-1456.

Fayette Fall Fest fills the Fayette Opera House and nearby sidewalks with family friendly fun. Sidewalk booths feature crafts, and the Garden Club offers a mum sale. The Opera House parking lot hosts a chili cook off with voting and results announced later in the day. The Fayette Fire Department serves a chicken barbecue, and the Bull Thistle Committee sells hot dogs, popcorn, cider slushies, soft drinks, water, and cider. Look for food specials from One More Bar & Grill, Freddy’s, and Louie’s. Inside the Opera House, F.A.S.T. sponsors a pie baking contest with judging taking place in the afternoon. Entry forms are available at the Post Office and online.

Residents of Defiance, Hicksville, and Fort Wayne can look forward to the Grand Rising Wellness Experience, a gathering that brings together holistic practitioners, non-toxic lifestyle products, and natural approaches to well-being in one place. The focus is on nourishing the body while uplifting the mind and spirit, with opportunities to learn, connect, and feel inspired by natural wellness options. Admission is free for the public. Vendor participation is available, and applications are accepted only through an online submission process.