PLANS MADE FOR UNION COLORFEST

ANNA, Ill. -- Pumpkin Town USA, historic-home tours, a parade and bus tours will remain on the Union County ColorFest agenda for 1999.

Initial plans, new officers and dates for ColorFest '99 were announced following the first meeting to discuss the annual, three-day extravaganza.

Rose Hogan was named chairperson of the event. Patrick Brumleve is secretary and Suzanne Heidlebaugh treasurer.

The 1999 celebration will be held Oct. 8, 9, and 10.

ColorFest meetings will be held monthly starting in January. The monthly session will be held the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Union County Chamber of Commerce office, 330 S. Main in Anna.

The next meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 26. Representatives from each of the communities in the county will attend.

Seven communities in Union County -- Alto Pass, Anna, Cobden, Dongola, Jonesboro, Lick Creek and Wolf Lake -- participate in the event.

Colorfest is designed to show off fall foliage and points of interest along Union County routes.

Events include arts and crafts, musical entertainment and food in each of the communities. Also on the annual agenda is a vineyard festival, a walking-bicycle biathlon, pumpkin push contests, pet contests, and the annual Illinois State Championship Goose and Duck Calling Contests.

Pumpkin Town USA has become a big feature of the annual Union County Colorfest.

The annual Pumpkin Town is established on the grounds of the Clyde L. Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna. It features creative "pumpkin people" displays.

The Choate center's staff and people served at the center use pumpkins, straw, creativity and ingenuity to create scenes to fit particular themes.

Although the number of visitors who view the Pumpkin Town displays is not known -- probably well over 100,000 -- vehicle counters reveal that the event has attracted more than 35,000 vehicles, including vans and buses, during each of the past two years.