Warm And Toasty Fall Food Fest ideas

It's getting cold outside.  But that didn't stop us from having a fantastic outdoor Fall Food Fest last month complete with hats, gloves, scarves and a hearty bowl of vegetable soup, chili, chowder, and smores in hand. The open campfire also helped keep those red cheeks aglow. 

It's a time to go outdoors and get warm and cozy with good friends, family, and savory, mouthwatering dishes you can cook at home and throw on the BBQ grill at your favorite neighborhood park or home backyard. Here are a few fantastic warm and toasty fall food fest ideas our folks are still raving about.

Sweet Potato Pecan Casserole 
A mouthwatering sweet potato dish made with marshmallows and streusel.  Includes diced sweet potatoes, marshmallows and a sweet streusel sauce made from pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Mmm, mmm good!

Broccoli Bacon Cheddar Chicken
A warm and cheesy chicken dish that sticks to your ribs. Includes cheddar cheese, broccoli and chicken breast with bacon bits. Season with garlic, paprika, and onion to taste. Yum!

Check out these great outdoor dishes and more from our 1000 Recipes Pinterest Board. 

Instant Pot Potato Corn Chowder
This savory potato corn chowder will delight your pallet and warm your tummy. Includes diced potatoes, onion, corn, butter, cheddar cheese, cream, and vegetable broth. Ooowee!


Spicy Chili
Other great outdoor dishes for your Fall Fest may include spicy chili with ground turkey, diced carrots, celery, red and green peppers, onion, red beans and seasoned with garlic, chili powder, cumin, and paprika. 

Don't forget the hot drinks! We're talking a big cup of rich warm brothy egg nog, epresso, vanilla coffee, creamy maple pecan latte, caramel frappuccino, and cappuccino.


Get more warm and toasty crockpot, in-the-oven and stovetop recipes at  https://www.pinterest.com/fimarkhome/1000-family-recipes/ 

Get Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Guide and Keepsake complete with a Fall Food Fest event planner, and activity ideas.  

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5 Fun DIY Autumn Decor Craft Ideas

It's that 'get warm and cozy' time of year. A time for breaking out the sweaters and knitted caps. A time to watch the wind curl a splendid bouquet of autumn's rich beauty, tastes and scents and feast on the fruit of harvest season.

A well tended fall garden gives up so much harvest that after baking and canning for the winter it's time to think about using nature's lovely seasonal remnants for craft ideas.

That said, while many crafters begin the season planning creative scrapbooking projects, others are eagerly making use of falls natural effects to produce magnificent decor for home, parties and festivals. Unlike any other season, autumn gardens provides more natural decorative materials ideal for the home.

Here is a short list of natural materials and supplies you can start collecting to use for your next DIY home decor craft project.

1.  Acorns

2.  Apples
3.  Cinnamon Sticks

3.  Dried Fruit

4.  Dried Oak Leaves

5.  Dried Sentenia Grass

6.  Dried Wheat Stalk
 7. Dried Tree Branches

8.  Gourds

9.  Pine Cones and Needles

10.  Tumbleweeds
11. Foam Rings
12. Glue Sticks and Gun
13. Mason Jars
14. Flat vases
15. Small Stones and Pebbles

Here are a few fun fall craft decor ideas you can do yourself using the above material list. 

1. Make an acorn, pine cone and leaf reef.

2. Make a glowing mason jar decoupage using electric candles and maple leaves.

3. Decorate apple spice and cinnamon candles with dried grass, wheat and flowers.

4. Make colorful patterns with lintels in mason jars.

5. Make beautiful dry wheat stalk and tree branch centerpieces 

Enjoy beautifying your home while adding that special touch of rich spicy and earthy essences of autumn's bounty all season long.

Want something to write home about? Why not throw a party? An autumn/fall season themed party. Family fall fests are the reason to bring family together and feast on your autumn garden of delights.

To get creative and inspiring event planning ideas get Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Keepsake book, or if you prefer to do your event planning online get Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app. Everything you need to plan a memorable fall reunion.

Planning The Best Family Fall Fest Ever!

So you're planning a family fall fest and want it to be the absolute best fall fest ever? There are seven keys to making your fall festival a success. The keys are revealed in my recent weekend experience while throwing a fantastic fall fest bubble show.

It was a crisp sunny day. Benches and colorful flowers lined the restful parklike setting on the lawns of the JHU office field. Gigantic moon bounce play sets filled the spacious grassy yard with splashes of fun festive colors. It's the annual Fall Fest staff appreciation day at Johns Hopkins University. A day of celebration and a veritable JHU family reunion.

This story really began when I got the idea to start handcrafting my own bubble wands. first was the bubble spray wand. It sprays hundreds of bubbles in seconds with one gust of wind. Then I designed the hoop wand that creates giant tube shaped bubbles and large bubble balls. My next creation was the tri-ring shaped wand that generates strong, long reptilian shaped bubbles and large bubble clusters.

Hoop Bubble Wand

Multi-Spray Bubble Wand

Tri-Ring Bubble Wand

By 3:30 pm families and their children began to spring from the office building doors and parking lots bursting with sounds of  excitement and awe. Wow! Ooh! Yeah! The family fun begins. That said, a fall fest should provide plenty of exciting child activities.


Brenda and I set our bubble gear for our biggest bubble show to date. And what a show it was. Scores of kids came running from all directions to see the spectacle of glistening bubble clusters, gigantic gleaming crystal spheres floating in the air. Amazed adults stopped by to eyeball the bubble floats and try out our circle of brightly colored bubble wands. Before we knew it there was a tactile hands on affair with bubbles flying everywhere, long tube bubbles and wonderful breezy bubbles sprays all in use by young children, pre-teens and the young-at-heart.

Our tubs of bubble juice quickly became frothy tubs of soap suds as kids and parents dipped and shook and wiggled their bubble wands desperate to create their own bubble formations. Laughter and cheers filled the air. Everyone was living in the moment.

As the DJ played our favorite tunes, children could not resist dancing, prancing, running and jumping while reaching out to catch every flying bubble in sight. It was enchanting and wonderful to behold. A fall fest at it's best.

When planning a fall fest add a special touch with seasonal decorations. Rent an outdoor venue with plenty of space to rip roar and run. In addition to bubbles and high wind bubble wands throw up some kites and have a face painting booth. Hey rides are fun for the whole family.

Here are a few more tips to make your fall fest the best ever.

1. Have a DJ present fun festive family oriented music
2. Serve hot dogs, fried chicken and plenty of drinks
3. Rent two or more moon bounce play sets
4. Hire a professional Bubble Master
5. Serve apple cider, nutmeg and pumpkin pie
6. Decorate with leaves, dry arrangements, cinnamon sticks, hay, squash and pumpkins
7. Include outdoor games such as the great bubble chase, bubble race and bubble toss.

Check out the fall fest event planner in Fimark's Family Reunion Planner social web app, ebook or paper back book available at Amazon.com

Living in the Baltimore Washington area? Want to add the special touch to your festival or family event? Contact Brenda at 443 813 0865 and ask how to book an Angelo and Marie's Fantastic bubble show.

10 Fun Fall Activity Ideas

Fall is just around the corner. The days get shorter. The sky turns into a fiery gold and mahogany sheaf laying a rustic leafy carpet of harvest pastels.  This is the season of Autumn Festivals where creativity knows no bounds. That said, why not plan your own fall fest this year. It's a wonderful way to introduce the seasons bounty to sons and daughters and make unforgettable memories along the way.

Here are some activity ideas:

Fall Fest Activity List

1. Plan an autumn stroll in the park and stop for some refreshing apple cider and warm pumpkin or sweet potato pie right from the picnic basket.  
2. Collect colorful leaves and press them in the pages of your favorite books. Pine cones, leaves and hazelnuts to make an autumn reef. 
3. Have a leaf raking party with all your family and friends including an outdoor BBQ and leaf bagging relay race.
4. Visit an apple orchard or pumpkin patch. 
5. Have a scarf or sweater knitting party.
6. Make your own kites and go kite flying this fall.
7. Have a harvest recipe swap complete with a dish tasting party.
8. Have a harvest themed bake sale.
9. Have an autumn themed book swapping party for adults and the kids.
10. Visit local fall festivals and enjoy those juicy sweet caramel apples.
11. Plan a school, club, corporation or community fall fest. 
    

Get fall festival marketing memorabilia ideas here.

Preserving Memories

Did you enjoy this years family reunion? Use the Newsletter template and Slide show app that comes in Fimark's award winning Family Reunion Planner Social web app and publish those memories. 

The web app interface provides access to all our standard event planning templates, printables, worksheets in pdf and word format and ebooks as well as the reunion planning spreadsheet with attendee database. What, don't have Fimark's award winning Family Reunion Planner Social web app yet? Good news. The app is reduced from $49 to only $39 for a limited time. Go to http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net/index1.html and get started on your family reunion fundraiser, newsletter, slideshow and your next fun filled family reunion event.

Annual Family Reunion Planning Month Is On

Annual Family Reunion Planning Month is being observed by an ever growing diverse group of family reunion enthusiasts, genealogists, culture fest and history buffs to promote awareness of family values to bring family and community closer together.

According to Mark Askew, author of Fimark's Family Reunion Planner and founder of the reunion planning group that spearheads the FRPM movement many large family groups, schools, community groups, hotel and resort chains and tour travel companies have joined ranks to hold a FRPM workshops. Other hold free community concerts, school talent shows featuring family groups or historic community presentations featuring town and city tours or free restaurant taste tests.

This is a great time to invite family reunion planners as well as family recipe cooking demonstrations during FRPM food fests. "Two of our favorite activities has been having a neighborhood lawn and leaf party one weekend and a food fest the next", Mark reminisces.

Mutual support in the household engenders sustainable personal, community and  economic growth as families focus on family union. The key is by promoting fun and lively activities such as genealogy presentations, creative talent shows, culture fests, tourism and community and neighborhood volunteer work all with a view to family and community empowerment. 

During Family Reunion Planning Month families take the time to define roles, reward hard work and creativity while honing skills that contribute to good household management and mutual support. Creative family reunion planning contributes all that and more as families prepare reunion entertainment, diverse cultural fests and genealogy presentations in a fun and engaging way.

Annual Family Reunion Planning Month is a time to provide the family with an identity everyone can be proud of.  It's purpose is to give meaning and value to family life by honoring family legends, promoting family heritage and creating or maintaining traditions centered around family heirlooms.

This is a great time for hometown family fun. It's also a time for businesses, community groups, schools and organizations to creatively showcase practical services and resources to promote family, culture, community and economic empowerment. Buy out time now to get involved in something fulfilling everyone in the household will enjoy.

How will you be observing this enriching event? How can FRPM unite your family this year? How can FRPM and your business promote economic empowerment? Find out how you can get involved. Read more here. http://familyreunionplanners.blogspot.com/2013/10/8-ideas-to-celebrate-annual-family.html

A Family Fall Fest At It's Best

I admit that I'm a Spring time guy. But when the leaves start changing and falling my heart is smitten by the harvests of Fall.  Here are a few reasons why I think I'm so in love with all things Autumn. 

Light gusts of wind sweep up swirling golden leaves as the sweet scent of pine cones and pungent fallen apples fill the air.  It's a virtual fest for butterflies, sparrows and other creatures great and small. The time of harvest as arrived and with that it's time to carefully store away a fruitful season of growth and memories.

There are so many creative ways to do this.  Warm woolen sweaters, pumpkins and multi-colored corn cobs beckon our creative juices. This is autumn at its very best.

My neighborhood in Maryland where I walked my dog lady everyday from age 12 up.

This is also the season of Autumn Festivals. At these special Fall events creativity knows no bounds. Each craft presentation has it's own way of reaching deep down inside us and conjuring up a warmth and closeness to nature unlike no other season.  I hope to take Brenda to a Fall Festival wonderland this year while celebrating our 33 wedding anniversary.  

What is it about fall? Perhaps it's the brilliant yet warm colors of Fall. Leaves that look like roasted caramelized nuts and toasted granola clusters with cranberry raisins speckled all over. 

Fall Fest Harvest Apron

Perhaps it's the way the trees embrace and hug forming a rich arch above our heads in magnificent gold and copper splendor. Or maybe the whiff of freshly baked sweet potato pie filling our noses and tantalizing our tongues. And if that were not enough it surely has to be the fragrance of warm apple cider, corn wine and pancakes covered in maple syrup while ham crackles on an outdoor stove top.  Yes, it's Fall Fest time again!

Autumn Decor

I love to see the creative crafts made each year at shows and stores. Butterflies made of preserved golden maple leaves and twigs. Dried autumn naturals made into decorative arrangements such as table center pieces and door wreaths. Smiley button eyed scare crows in blue jeans made out of dried corn cobs. 
Wall art made from hay, pine cones and dried flowers and berries. The wood carvings and stone etchings and paintings of brilliant fall scenes are perhaps the most beautiful ever imagined. No wonder it has been said that Autumn inspired the most beautiful works of art, music, novels and poetry.

"A Walk In Time"
Painting by Mark Askew

Recipes Galore

This is the time to collect harvestime recipes from a group of folks who are obsessed with cooking baking and creating delectable delights. Join our Family Recipes board on Pinterest and get carried away. Be careful. It is addicting. http://pinterest.com/fimarkhome/family-recipes/


Family Reunion Planning Month

At this time of the year families comes together to render much needed support, encouragement and inspiration. This led to a relatively new and exciting concept in family reunion planning. An annual observance established in 2005 centering around family reunion planning. The observance began in 2005 when our family reunion planning group of just 400 members agreed to make November the month to commence family reunion event planning. 

Mark Askew, founder of the groups official monthly newsletter, published and promoted the observance in his book Fimark's Family Reunion Planner. Read more at Wikipedia.com, keyword "Family Reunion." Since then other groups and corporations have adopted and promoted the observance including the following:

Family Reunion Helper
http://familyreunionhelper.com/blog/tag/family-reunion-month/
Cyndis List
http://www.cyndislist.com/reunions/reunion-planning/?page=2%E2%80%8E
Afrigenas
http://www.afrigeneas.com/forum-reunion/index.cgi/md/read/id/4936/sbj/family-reunion-planning-month/

I’m With Them Events
http://www.prlog.org/11678972-fabulous-fantasy-family-reunion-contest-for-families-planning-reunions-begins.html

Bigelow Tea

http://www.bigelowteablog.com/2009/06/17/make-family-reunion-month-a-festive-time/

Gone Ta Pott

http://hstrial-psvoboda.homestead.com/November-Family-Reunion-Planning-Month.html#.Ui3XdtK-ous

Pinterest

http://pinterest.com/pin/259871840969691007/

A November Heads Up!
Autumn is the time of year extended families come together making this an ideal time to discuss and establish suggested dates and activities for the next family reunion.

September thru December is one of the more intimate times of the year. Indoor activities are the norm. Yet some families love to spend it out of doors raking up the leaves and enjoying imaginative lawn and leaf or harvest parties. This includes  relay races, family football and evening storytelling around an outdoor fire. This is an ideal time to do family history information gathering including interviewing the elders of the family.

November - December is the best time to get together and swap photos and videos. It's an ideal time to start putting together family slideshows, videos and scrapbooks, family history books, memory books and family reunion keepsake booklets.

During this time the elder family members like to keep family traditions alive and  well. Some may make their own proclamations. Other focus on education and financial planning or seek to empower the family union in some other way. 

You, our family reunion planner readers founded Family Reunion Planning Month, an annual reunion planning observance in the month of November. This observance promotes the interests of the family union and reminds us to take time out of our busy lives to enjoy our family throughout the year culminating in a family reunion gathering.  The observance begins with  a veritable family fall fest at its best. Are you ready for big fun during the warmest season of the year? Spread the word and start planning your Fall Family Fest today.

Mark Angelo Askew is the Author of Fimark's Family Reunion Planner and Keepsake and Fimark's My Keepsake Wedding Planner. 

If you celebrated your family reunion It's a time to remember this summers family reunion events and document it in some way. Use the Newsletter template and Slide show app that comes in Fimark's award winning Family Reunion Planner Social web app for use with the latest Chrome, Internet Explorer or Firefox browser. 

The interface provides access to all our standard event planning templates, printables, worksheets in pdf and word format and ebook as well as the reunion planning spreadsheet with attendee database. What, don't have FRP Social yet? Good news. The app is reduced from $49 to only $40 for a limited time.  Planning a family reunion? To get  more information about Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app click on the link on this blog page or access the profiles page.

Fall Fest Keepsakes and Party Favors

Fall Fest Keepsakes and party favors

http://www.zazzle.com/fall_fest?rf=238710760040489359