Mentone Fall Festival to Benefit Moon Lake Campus

Sponsors needed to continue success of event, set for Oct. 19

The Town of Mentone and citizen volunteers are building on last year’s success to host the second Mentone Fall Festival. Businesses, individuals, and organizations are encouraged to support the event by becoming a sponsor.

Last year’s festival drew more than 5,000 visitors to Mentone. Officials estimate the event’s economic impact exceeded $134,000. It was centered at the former campus of Moon Lake Elementary School, where visitors encountered pottery, original art, crafts, food, and live music. Beyond the festival site, the entire town welcomed visitors, from the shops along Highway 117 and within the Log Cabin Village to restaurants, stores, and the Mentone Inn.

The town used direct profits of more than $25,000 to help renovate the former Moon Lake campus. Improvements to the historic schoolhouse have been ongoing since the county board of education closed the school in 2021 and deeded the property to the Town of Mentone. With proceeds from last year’s festival, the town invested in foundation and porch repair, a major cleaning effort, a vapor barrier, and an HVAC system for the community room.

These efforts are reaping dividends. Every available space on the campus is occupied by a tenant, from retail shops and an architectural firm to art galleries and a vacation cabin rental/real estate office.

Earlier this year, the town developed a partnership with Northeast Alabama Community College, which will begin offering classes on campus this month for the fall semester.

“It’s been our goal from the start
to once again make Moon Lake a viable part of our community,” says Mentone Mayor Rob Hammond. “Proceeds from the fall festival went a long way toward making that happen. Not only is the festival an important cultural and tourism event for our town, but it’s also part of a larger plan to preserve that property and restore it to its rightful place as a central part of our community.”

Organizers say the goal for this year’s festival is to generate $35,000 for the Town of Mentone to invest in Moon Lake. “There’s still much work to be done,” says Hammond, “and we need everyone’s help to make it happen.”

Future improvements include making the bathrooms and hallways ADA-compliant, fortifying the foundation on the north side of the building, and repairing the attic.

There are four ways to pledge your support:

• Enter bit.ly/3yxhr4N into your web browser and complete the online form
• Mail a check to Mentone Fall Festival, P.O. Box 295, Mentone, Alabama, 35984. Make the check payable to “Town of Mentone” and note “Mentone Fall Festival Sponsorship” on the memo line.
• Send funds via Venmo to @Townof-Mentone and note “Mentone Fall Festival Sponsorship”
• Use this QR code to sponsor via Venmo