Sugar Loaf: The fall fest must go on

Hurricane's fury won't stop fun at arts and crafts hamlet Oct. 8-10 Sugar Loaf — It will take more than Hurricane Irene to stop this hamlet from hold its annual fall festival. Sugar Loaf's more than 30 shops, restaurants and theaters are ready to welcome visitors this Columbus Day weekend, Oct. 8 through 10, when they'll be joined by artists, crafters, food vendors, musicians, and a petting zoo. The boutiques, galleries, and artisan-owned shops sell gifts and crafts year 'round. But Hurricane Irene destroyed Sugar Loaf's main entrance, shutting off access to visitors arriving from Chester and the north and reducing traffic to a trickle. But the community has come together while road repairs begin. The village is open and accessible from Warwick and the south on Kings Highway. "We are hopeful that the north entrance will have a temporary fix by festival weekend," organizers say. Shoppers at the festival will find eclectic clothing, oil painting, jewelry, watercolor, native American Indian art, woodcarvers, candles, soap makers, leather, quilts, furniture, photography, pottery, and flowers. Sugar Loaf's Main Street, from Pine Hill Road to the Lycian Theatre entrance, will be closed to traffic from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 8, 9, and 10. The festival will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Parking, including handicapped parking, will be available for a donation at the Sugar Loaf Fire House and the Lycian Theatre. Musicians will play blues, classic rock, jazz, funk and folk music (please see schedule this page). For more information visit www.sugarloafnewyork.com.