All over Collingswood, signs indicate autumn's arrival. 

But none was more apparent than the picturesque autumnal atmosphere found in The Knight Park Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Collingswood Junior Women’s Club Fall Festival.

As the sun beamed down on The Knight Park pavilion and a crisp breeze cut through the trees, both young and old borough residents gathered to partake in the annual fall fair from noon to 4 p.m. 

“(The fall festival) is a great time for the community, and it’s fun for the kids,” said Mary Johnson, of Collingswood.

There was plenty to offer children at this year’s event, including horseback rides, a haystack scavenger hunt, pumpkin painting, and hayrides.

Kids were even invited to participate in cupcake decorating, bowling, bean bag tosses and a slew of other activities hosted by the Collingswood Rotary Club and Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) members from each of the local elementary schools—Zane-North, Mark Newbie, William P. Tatem, James A. Garfield and Thomas Sharp.

Though there was plenty of fun to be had by all, one common sentiment among residents in attendance was the importance of the event’s philanthropic nature. 

“All proceeds from the fall festival will assist the The Valerie Fund, an organization for children with blood-born diseases and cancers,” said Suzanne Gulbranson, treasurer of the Collingswood Junior Women's Club.

Former Collingswood resident JoAnn Mulligan comes back to the fall festival every year, simply because knowing that attending the fall festival supports a charitable connection and fundraising effort.

“I’m just trying to bring (the families of sick children) a little bit of joy, if I can," said Mulligan on Saturday.

While the event focused largely on raising funds for the national children’s charity, it also served as an opportunity for Collingswood Junior Women's Club members to address another cause: childhood obesity.

“Drawing people to (The Knight Park) is important because we’re trying to get kids to be more active,” said Collingswood Junior Women's Club member Melissa Knorzer.

“Anything we can do to get kids off of the couch and away from the television (is beneficial),” she said.

For Alyce Taylor, president of Collingswood Junior Women's Club, the fall festival, while largely philanthropic, also stresses the importance of community and acts as a venue for borough residents to gather together.

“The fall festival is a great networking event—not only for the PTAs and other local groups, but for borough residents as well. It's a great chance to see and speak with family and friends in town,” she said.

As residents of all ages networked and savored the beautiful fall weather on Saturday, it left no doubt that autumn had officially arrived in Collingswood.