The instructions for filling out the application form must be followed exactly or the person will be disqualified. 12 October marks the 505th anniversary of Columbus Day, a public holiday in most countries in the Americas and in most Spanish-speaking countries, although observed under different names and sometimes on different dates. On 23 October, those of us who enjoy preserving food and those of us who enjoy eating such will celebrate the 245th birth anniversary of Nicolas Appert. Appert, who also invented the bouillon tablet, is best remembered for devising a system of heating foods and sealing them in airtight containers. More than 100 artists and craftspersons display and sell their wares.
Food is available.
Columbus Day Festival and Hot Air Balloon Regatta will be held in the downtown square and Industrial Park, Columbus, KS, on 10-12 October. The Hot Air Balloon Regatta starts with Balloon Glow on Friday evening, and prizes are awarded for both Saturday and Sunday races. Also included in the festivities are a car show, an arts and crafts fair, entertainment, a children's festival, and a chili cook-off. Arrow Rock, MO, is the site of the Arrow Rock Heritage Craft Festival on 11-12 October. 1850s crafters demonstrate and sell crafts of daily living, including bobbin lace making, rope braiding, candle dipping, cornshuck dolls, and blacksmithing.