You never know who's going to show up at a Rochester October Festival. A couple of years ago it was Shrek and Donkey. (Lebanon Voice file photo)

Rochester's eighth annual October Festival will be held Saturday, Oct. 1 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

The annual fall-theme festival will be held on Hanson Street, and in Central Square.

As part of the celebration, the main stage on Hanson Street will feature entertainment throughout the day with headliners Captain Fiddle and the Crawdad Wranglers Cajun Zydeco Band, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

There will also be dance company demonstrations, food vendors, kids' and an interactive Barnyard Petting Zoo courtesy of Holy Rosary Credit Union.

Rochester Main Street will host a "Mile High Apple Pie" baking contest, with all entries needing to be delivered to the Rochester Main Street booth no later than 10:30 a.m. for judging. The winner will receive a medal and $25 cash prize.

Pumpkin Patch and Pumpkin Painting will be held in Central Square. The events is sponsored by Convenient MD of Dover.

The Monarch School of New England is hosting a Charity Bike Ride/Walk. Registration begins at the Rochester City Hall and course opens at 8:30 a.m. for a 4 mile Family Ride or 15 or 25 mile Challenge Ride. Preregistration is $25 at www.monarchschoolcharitybikeride.com, where potential entrants can view the course maps online.

Downtown businesses are encouraged to bring an activity or sales onto the sidewalk in front of their business during the October Festival hours. This is one of the few times each year they are permitted to do so as Main Street obtains a permit allowing sidewalk displays and sales during the event. Main Street asks businesses planning an activity or sales contact the Main Street office so they can advertise your activity. There is no charge to host an activity or display in front of your business that day.

Children's games at 2 p.m. are courtesy of Hervey's Tire and feature a doughnut eating contest and a "squashed" pie eating contest. The volunteers are still seeking arts and craft booths and organizations who are interested in participating that day. Vendors must preregister to reserve a space. All vendors pay a $50 fee which goes toward the cost of producing the event. Vendor forms with the rules are available on line at www.rochestermainstreet.org under About Us/Forms and Reports. Volunteers are also needed to help run the event that day. For more information on October Festival or to sign up to participate, please contact the Rochester Main Street Office at 603-330- 3208 or email director@rochestermainstreet.org. The contact number the day of the event is 603-781-7116. October Festival is a rain

This year's event is underwritten by Bank of New Hampshire,