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\n\t\t\tOLA festival committee members, from left, first row: Karen Rolka, Monica Wilga, Patricia Mould, Nikki Weisenfluh, Liz Dempsey, Jerry Aschenbrenner, and Andrea Walsh. Second row: Michael Mould, Bob Haleski, Cathy Rist Strauch, Arlene Haleski, Lucy Ziman, Maureen Mahoney, Fr. Arbogaste Satoun, Andy Singletary, Bruce Weisenfluh, Chris Stivala, Faith Flemming, Dominic Stivala, Barbara Williamson, and Tracey Singletary.
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The arrival of autumn means it\u2019s time for falling leaves, pumpkin-flavored everything and, most recently in our region, fall festivals. As one of the original fall fairs in the Abingtons, Our Lady of the Abingtons\u2019 annual fall festival has long led the way in September celebrations.<\/p>\n
Slated for Sept. 19 and 20 at the church grounds in West Abington Township, the 2026 Our Lady of the Abingtons Fall Festival promises to be filled with food, fun and plenty of chances to win prizes.<\/p>\n
\u201cYear after year, I hear from people who tell me how much they look forward to our fall festival,\u201d Nikki Weisenfluh, who co-chairs the festival with her husband, Bruce, said. \u201cIt has become a cherished tradition \u2014 an opportunity to enjoy our beautiful setting, share a delicious meal, take a chance on the raffles and, most importantly, spend time together.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is something very special about seeing old friends reconnect, welcoming new faces and watching our community come alive,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
Now in its 33rd year, OLA\u2019s fall festival regularly garners support from the surrounding community through volunteering with food and raffles and providing entertainment.<\/p>\n
Saturday, Sept. 19, will feature a pork barbecue dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. or until sold out, with live acoustic music from Megaband Duo. Sunday, Sept. 20 will have a chicken barbeque from noon until 6 p.m. or until they are sold out. Live music will be provided on Sunday by The Quietmen, a Scranton-based band that specializes in folk rock and Celtic folk music.<\/p>\n
Fairgoers will have the opportunity to win prizes at the festival\u2019s white elephant and silent auction raffles, as well as a basket raffle. Younger members of the community can enjoy activities like games, face painting and more.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough the Fall Festival is our parish\u2019s largest fundraiser, it truly means so much more to us than simply raising money,\u201d Weisenfluh said. \u201cIt is a special time when our parish family and the surrounding community come together in fellowship, generosity and stewardship.\u201d<\/p>\n
The festival also continues to seek volunteers for a variety of roles. Additionally, they will continue to accept donations for the bountiful baskets, dining out restaurant gift certificates and chest of cheer adult beverage prizes up until Sept. 18, and will accept donations for cans of soda and water, too.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe volunteers are what makes our festival the success that it is year after year,\u201d Weisenfluh said. \u201cWe have a great team that comes together to make this event work. But extra hands are always welcome. We can always use help setting up the tents, manning the food lines or keeping the tables and garbage cans clear.\u201d<\/p>\n
Our Lady of the Abingtons has long been a fixture in the greater Abington community. Purchased from the Sweeney estate after World War II by the Diocese of Scranton, Our Lady of the Abingtons originated as a summer home for the Bishop William J. Hafey. According to NEPACatholic.com, Hafey began holding Sunday mass for local farm-hands and neighbors of the estate. He built a chapel on the site in 1950 and named it Our Lady of the Abingtons. The church officially became its own parish in 1967, and will celebrate its 60th anniversary next year.<\/p>\n
In 2022, Our Lady of the Abingtons joined St. Patrick\u2019s Church in Nicholson and St. Mary of the Lake at Lake Winola to comprise a shared Catholic community under the current pastor, Father Arbogaste Satoun, known affectionately by his parishioners as Father Arbo.<\/p>\n
The fall festival came from a long tradition of gatherings on the church\u2019s 286-acre property. According to NEPACatholic.com, several get-togethers held by well-known Dalton families at the end of the 1960s developed into an annual tradition of chicken barbecues. In 1993, those annual dinners were expanded to the current incarnation of a fall festival that promises fun for all.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Fall Festival reminds us that a strong parish is built not only through our generosity, but through the relationships we share and the memories we create together,\u201d said Weisenflu. \u201cIt is a celebration of our parish, our community and the spirit of fellowship that makes this event so meaningful each year.\u201d<\/p>\n