Today is the First Day of Fall: Fun Facts and Events

Today is the first day of the fall season.

For some, that means the end of summer—and beginning of bracing for cold. And for others, that means back to school and beautiful scenery from the changing color of the leaves.

Here's what the fall season means for Bolingbrook:

Pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins...

• It wouldn't be fall without mentioning , which annually . The event features thousands of pumpkins for purchase, fall crafts, a petting zoo and an all around good time for families and youngsters.
• And what would buying pumpkins be if you didn't carve them and create spooky Jack-O-Lanterns? Head over to the for a pumpkin carving demo, where you can learn the basics of pumpkin carving and receive a small personal pumpkin to take home after the program. The event is Saturday, Oct. 1. For more information, click HERE.
• And for our coffee drinkers, you'll be sure to want to stop by one of Bolingbrook's many locations for their signature Pumpkin Spice Latte.

For the of age crowd, Oktoberfest...

Bolingbrook has several great ways to celebrate the German holiday season. Here are just a few: 

• You can attend this year's Clow International Airport Flightfest, which will feature classic Oktoberfest fare, including drinks and food. 
• Head over to , where they recently tapped their Festbier, a seasonal lager that honors the Oktoberfest celebration. 
• Or sign up for the Bolingbrook Park District's Octoberfest Brew Dash. This first-of-its-kind event for the park district will feature a run through the while stopping at tasting stations to sample craft and season beers. After the race, there will be live music, games and food and drinks. You'll also get a commemorative mug. The race fee is just $10. The event will be Oct. 10. For more info, click HERE.

Are you ready for some football...

The NFL and college football seasons are in full swing and Bolingbrook has plenty of places to watch the big game, no matter what team you are rooting for. 

Here are the must-be-places to watch football in Bolingbrook:

• The Salt Bar at

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month...

Although breast cancer is the most common cancer women battle, not all experiences are identical.

For Elaine Pikula, a 62-year-old Bolingbrook resident, lumpectomy and radiation were her only treatments. Patsy Walker, 52, also of Bolingbrook, had a more aggressive cancer and required a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation.

But at 6 p.m. on Sept. 29 at  annual tree-lighting ceremony to commemorate October as National Breast Cancer month, both women will share similar messages: Be consistent with testing and walk in hope if you are currently fighting cancer.

Also speaking that night will be Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital Chief Executive Officer Rick Mace, Mayor Roger Claar, chaplain Vicky Syren and medical director of the breast cancer clinic, Dr. Jason Goliath. The Choir will sing and refreshments will be served.

And just for good measure, here are a few fall facts...

• Bright red & purple colors come from anthocyanin (an-thuh-'si-uh-nuhn) pigments, like in maple leaves, are formed from trapped glucose.

• Brown colors come from a waste product called tannin, orange colors comes from carotene ('kar-uh-teen) & the yellows from xanthophyll ('zan-thuh-fil)

• The leave colors red, yellow & brown are in the leaves all year long & only become exposed when the green chlorophyll disappears in the fall.

• Mulching fall leaves where they fall lets them decompose so that they can release their minerals back to the underlying soil.

Facts courtesy of: http://www.lookingforadventure.com/fallfacts.htm