By Monty Siekerman
Festival---Downtown Ada, 6 a.m.
Many in the Village awoke early on Harvest and Herb Fest morning Saturday to prepare for the day, rain or shine.

Small showers, early on, did not keep food trucks and booth builders away. Main Street was a beehive of activity long before the sun shone.

Detour signs and barricades were up blocking traffic to all, except those who had work in the heart of town to do.

Giant pots of Amherst mums were neatly lined up in front of Hays Insurance. Usually they are sold out by 11 a.m.

McDonald's drive thru was blocked off, but the restaurant was doing a land office business, people getting their coffee fix.

Chamber President Deb Curlis was there greeting friends before going outside to see that all ran smoothly.

Merchants were putting up tents and filling tables with merchandise. Food vendors were connecting their electric. Port-O-Potties were in place. A gardener was collecting trash in the park that was dropped there overnight.

Even before sunrise, parking was at a premium.

When the sesquicentennial clock chimes at 9 a.m the Festival will be off and running, thanks to some early birds who were there to get it rolling.

All the while, eyes was kept on the sky: will the rain clouds pass by or keep coming? By 8 a.m. just a few brief showers had occurred.

Will most of those who reserved booth space show up? Will the crowds come?

For some, fall festivals are a livelihood, going from town to town. For others, especially those who have civic and church booths, the day provides an opportunity to visit friends.

Small town fall festivals - it's all part of what makes America great.