GREENVILLE — Darke County will showcase the seventh annual Fall into Christmas Food Truck Rally & Craft Show on Saturday, Nov. 4, from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. at the Great Darke County Fairgrounds. The fairgrounds is located at 800 Sweitzer St., Greenville. The food truck rally and craft show will be a celebration of local, small businesses. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy in the United States, Ohio and Darke County. Come out and help support them during this food truck and craft show celebration. These local small businesses need your support NOW more than ever!

The event will be rain or shine with free admission to the craft show. There is $5 fee for parking and proceeds will help Solid Rock Apostolic Church from Bradford. Solid Rock Church will be collecting non-perishable food for a Thanksgiving food drive to bless families in Darke County. Go to the registration table located across from the gazebo area to enter your name in the drawing for a chance to win over $1000 in gift cards and prizes.

You will receive an entry ticket when you park your car at the fairgrounds. You can earn extra entries for each non-perishable food item you donate for the food drive.

They appreciate all of the local business sponsors who have helped promote this great event for the community. Winners will be announced each hour and you can collect your prize at the gazebo.

The food trucks will be open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and include the following: Badges BBQ, Best Vittles, Buckeye Burgers, CaliOH Eats, Crème de la Crème Cakery, Fifty5 Rivers Cold Brew, GoDown’s Fixins, Homestead Spud, Kettle Colonel, Lil Tiki Weenies, Nacho Pig, Owsley Family Concessions, Potato Tornado Gals & More, Timeless Tacos, Werling Street Eats, and Wholly Smokes BBQ.

Shop from a large selection of over 150 local craft vendors and specialty clothing boutique trucks and shops to find that perfect Christmas gift.

The craft vendors will be open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and located just inside the Coliseum, 4-H Building and outside under tents.

This family-friendly event will have several fun activities for the entire family to enjoy.

Jungle Island Zoo is an extremely entertaining and excitingly educational exotic animal encounter. The petting zoo features a wide variety of rare and unusual animals from around the world. Visitors can observe, pet, and feed the critters and everyone gets a front row seat. Young and old alike are delighted with real hands-on exposure to animals most have only seen on television or in distant zoo enclosures. High Wind Farm from Chillicothe, Ohio will have pony rides for kids to enjoy from 12-6 p.m.

Ro-Da-O-Farm from Arcanum will have horse-drawn wagon rides decorated for Christmas for the entire family to enjoy from 12-7 p.m.

All the way from the North Pole, Santa Claus will be making a special appearance to visit the kids at the Darke County Fairgrounds from 12-5 p.m. inside the Ohio Center. New this year will be the Christmas train Fantasyland display inside the Ohio Center with Santa Claus. The Christmas train display is brought to you by the Richmond Area Railroaders Society from Richmond, Ind. The mobile Christmas display runs seven trains on a 16’ x 25’ multi-level O/G scale display including The Polar Express with lines running through tunnels, industrial areas, and a town.

There is also a full day of entertainment located inside the 4-H building.

The live entertainment includes the following: Local Darke County band “Mora & The Boys” from 11 a.m.-noon; special dance performances from 5678 Dance company from noon-1 p.m.; and from 2-4 p.m. the bluegrass band Berachah Valley from Franklin.

Back by popular demand, will be the Little Miss & Mister “Fall into Christmas” Pageant. The age groups will be from 3-10 years of age. The Pageant will take place at 4 p.m. inside the 4-H Building. Contestants will be judged based on costume creativity (Fall or Christmas themed), personality, on-stage questions and natural beauty (no makeup allowed). If you are interested in participating in the pageant, email Jason Blackburn for an application: [email protected].

“We couldn’t be happier about everything that’s come together for this much anticipated event for the Christmas season,” according to Jason Blackburn, the promoter of the event. “Amazing food, one-of-a-kind local crafts and great vendors, live music, a special visit from Santa, pony rides, petting zoo, horse and wagon rides, – it’s going to be a great day of family-friendly entertainment in Darke County, and we hope you can come join us!”

For more details about the event and to participate in contests, you can go to the following: www.facebook.com/cremedelacreme.cakery and then click on the Events tab for “Fall into Christmas Food Truck Rally & Craft Show”. You can also contact Jason Blackburn for more information at [email protected].