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NATCHEZ — The Natchez Food and Wine Festival and Christmas in July events Saturday proved successful to downtown business owners, who saw increased foot traffic through Downtown Natchez throughout the weekend, they said during Wednesday’s merchant’s group meeting.

The coming months promise even more activity, Downtown Natchez Alliance Director Kevin Miers said.

“There is a major event every weekend in October and a minor event every weekend,” he said. “And the pumpkin patch is going to be there the entire time.”

Major events happening on weekends include Biker’s Weekend on Oct. 4 and 5, Fall Junkin’ on the River on Oct. 11 and 12, the Natchez Balloon Festival on Oct. 18 and 19, and Y’all Means All Natchez’s The Weekend on Oct. 25 and 26.

But there’s also still plenty to do in downtown Natchez in between these events, and downtown businesses are asked to partake in the activities.

The Pumpkin Patch 

The Pumpkin Patch is a popup fall photo opportunity as well as a spot for story time and to purchase pumpkins located outside of the Natchez Inc. office at the corner of Main and Pearl streets. The patch opens on Oct. 10 and will remain open through Halloween night.

Area children are invited to story time in the patch beginning each Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. on October 15, 22, and 29, which is hosted in partnership with the Judge George W. Armstrong Library.

Battle of the Businesses

This fall, businesses are encouraged to get into the spirit with a storefront decorating contest and a “Battle of the Businesses” pumpkin sales competition.

“That’s where a business takes a two-hour time slot and the pumpkin patch and we see who can sell the most within that two-hour slot,” Miers said.

Storefront Decorating Contest

The storefront decorating contest lasts the whole month of October and encourage businesses to go all out with hay bales and decorations, he said.

Rockin’ M Farms provides square hay bales that downtown businesses can order through natchezdna.org.

“They’re free if you want them for just the month of October, or if you want to keep them longer it’s $10 per hay bale,” Miers said.

Duck Hunt

The Halloween Rubber Duck Scavenger Hunt lasts from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 26 and 27.

To participate in the Duck Hunt, children of all ages are invited to pick up a worksheet at Arts Natchez at 425 Main Street or download one at natchezdna.org. Then they venture downtown to look for all the rubber ducks listed and write down where they found them.

Then they can bring the completed worksheet back to ArtsNatchez and exchange it for their own rubber duck to take home.

For more information, contact Robin Person at 662-515-0490.

Pet Parade

Also happening this fall on Oct. 17 is the HOWL-oween Pet Parade, where pets can show off their Halloween costumes, to benefit the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society.

The entry fee is $5 with a bag of cat or dog food. Dress up your pet in their Halloween and meet up at the downtown Pumpkin Patch. The parade will cover two blocks of downtown Natchez.

The Witches Ride

DNA will host a Witches Ride on Oct. 24, where participants can dress their bets and hop on their brooms, bikes or even wagons and strollers to benefit the Natchez Stewpot.

Like the pet parade, the ride covers two blocks in Downtown Natchez.

Trick or Treat for Little Feet

The highlight of Halloween is, of course, Trick or Treat. During Trick or Treat for Little Feet, downtown merchants join in handing out candy and sweets for safe, spooky trick-or-treating fun. The festivities last from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31.

The event is sponsored by the Downtown Natchez Alliance and the Natchez-Adams County Chamber of Commerce.

For more information about these events, visit natchezdna.org.