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With fall in the air, Forest Ridge Assisted Living is gearing up for its second-annual Fall Festival.

Slated for 12-4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, the festival offers an array of entertainment, including music from local talents, hay rides, inflatables for the kids, and a good ole’ fashioned pig-pickin!

The festival will kick off with musical performances from various bluegrass bands and Ashe County High School’s very own marching band.

Children will have plenty to choose from, including inflatables and a West Jefferson fire truck on site just for their enjoyment. Sidewalk chalk and other games are sure to keep both those young in age and young at heart busy!

“It’s really inspiring to see the community pull together for such a great event,” said Forest Ridge activities director, Sandi Busby. “It’s a community festival for everyone to enjoy, and we couldn’t do it without our volunteers.”

Forest Ridge Assisted Living’s executive director, Melissa Deskins, has high hopes for the event. “We learned a great deal from last year’s festival,” Deskins said. “It was a great success, and we knew we could grow it this year to make it even better.”

The Fall Festival is just one part in a week filled with events for Forest Ridge. The week of Sept. 9-15 is National Assisted Living Week. With the theme of ‘Art for the Ages,’ the week serves as tribute to how the arts can help maintain a happy and healthy lifestyle, regardless of age or ability.

Many of those talents will be on display starting Sunday, Sept. 9, with the Forest Ridge gallery premier. In an event that will feature resident art of all varieties, sparkling cider and hors d’oeuvres will be passed by servers throughout the community beginning at 3 p.m. Forest Ridge resident’s Lois Sorenson and Gladys Kester will have two paintings showcased during the premier, as will many other resident pieces including some 3D hangings.

To help showcase ‘Art for the Ages,’ two barn quilts sharing the pattern of “Memory” have been painted by Forest Ridge residents. One quilt will hang on a storage building in the community, while the other is planned to be raffled throughout Ashe County, with the proceeds going to benefit the Ashe County Arts Council.

Deskins knew that for such a community project, she would need some help. “With support from area business Parker Tie Company, we were able to get the supplies donated to help the residents with their quilts, and that made a world of difference,” she said.

With an unveiling set for 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11, everyone in the community is invited to come and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

National Assisted Living week will also include many other events including an antique car show, a resident and staff talent show, and an outing to the upcoming quilt fair.

For more information, please contact Cameron Keziah at 846-1008 or online at www.ridgecare.com.