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By Jennie Guido

October is here. Summer’s wrath has ended and taken the humidity with it. We’ve had some crisp, fall days finally, and I have stopped melting as soon as I step out of my door each morning. The beagles are happy to go outside and play in the sunshine for once, and my hot coffee is enjoyable and not just a necessity.

I think I’ve always been a fan of this month because of the local activities that have always been a part of my life. Growing up, Cathedral’s annual Fall Festival was the first weekend of the month. Those juicy burgers and endless plates of nachos were just right after a long day of making the rounds at the midway games on the playground.

On those particular Saturdays, Aimee and I would stay at my Nannie and PawPaw’s house so my parents could go to Adult Night. Nannie would take us to pick out a pumpkin, and we would paint them in the kitchen any way we wanted. Mom liked that we didn’t carve them because she could simply wash the paint off after Halloween and have instant Thanksgiving decor for the front porch.

Those turkey dinners on Sunday meant that Thanksgiving was up ahead. Round that weekend out with a Friday night in D’evereux Stadium, and you had a perfect weekend to kick start October.

This of course was always followed by Balloon Race weekend mid-month. The weather was chilly enough for a sweatshirt to go chasing balloons on Saturday morning and cool enough to not die of heat exhaustion during the day’s activities. You know it’s October in Natchez when you start to see hot air balloon decorations on the front porch of almost every house on your street. Speaking of, I should probably get mine out this weekend!

Whether you go to the festival or not, it’s a spectacular weekend to be out and about in town. The restaurants are all open and bustling; the stores along Main and Franklin are full of shoppers; and there is a buzz that keeps a smile on your face all weekend (which may or may not have to do with after-flight toddies that we tend to enjoy).

Finally, the month ends with a night of tricks and treats on Halloween. When we were little girls, my mom would hand make Aimee and I’s costumes. Whether we wanted to be Miss America, the Little Mermaid, or a Cathedral cheerleader, our wish was granted from her sewing machine. We almost always matched until Aimee hit her tomboy phase, and I asked to be a bride one year. She was having no part in that matching ensemble.

It’s our best month. It has the most activity, and it was always fun to bring friends home from college to share in the fun. I think Anne of Green Gables says it best; “I love that I live in a world with Octobers.”

Jennie Guido writes a weekly column for The Democrat.