Fall is here and that means it's again time for the Cumming Country Fair & Festival! This year's 11-day extravaganza kicks off Oct. 5th and runs through Oct. 15th with all the great fair foods, rides, games, ground acts, concerts and more that our community has come to love over the fair's 29-year history!

Advance, discount tickets can be purchased online through Oct. 4th. Regular ticket price is $10 for ages 11 and up (10 and under are free), and advanced tickets are $7 for ages 11 and up. There are several free admission nights and ride specials on various days throughout the fair. For the complete fair schedule, click here.

Remember: The Fair is Short, Make It Sweet!

The Cumming City Center will present its first HOWL-OWEEN celebration on Saturday, Oct. 28th from 5-9 p.m. Bring the whole family, including Fido, in costume for this FANG-TASTIC night of family-friendly fun including pet and people costume contests, trick-or-treating for two- and four-legged kids, fall decor, spooky arts and crafts, music, pet-friendly vendors, pet adoptions by local rescues, store-front fall decor contest, and more! Free admission and free parking. Please make sure pets remain on-leash during the event. For more October events at the Cumming City Center, click here!

In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Cumming Police Department will present Motors for Justice, a fundraiser for Family Haven, Forsyth County's domestic violence shelter, on Sunday, Oct. 29th at the Cumming Fairgrounds large parking lot (246 Castleberry Road).

Motors for Justice will give both motorcycle law enforcement officers and civilians who love to ride a chance to show off their motorcycle skills via a cone course used by law enforcement officers for training and fun competitions. Cost is $20 for civilians and $50 for law enforcement officers, with all proceeds going directly to Family Haven. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. on Oct. 29th or individuals interested in participating can pre-register here. The event will begin at 10 a.m. Questions? Email Sgt. Shaw Bowman at sbowman@cummingpd.net.

A new twist on a local favorite is now open at the Cumming City Center. Los Rios Cantina opened in September and will have a Grand Opening on Saturday, Oct. 5th from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The first 200 paying customers will receive a swag bag, and there will be other giveaways and specials during the event. Los Rios Cantina brings you delicious Mexican cuisine in a quick-casual setting through offerings that include burritos, tacos, salads and bowls. There's also a margarita wall offering homemade frozen margaritas in several tasty flavors. Los Rios Cantina is open Monday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Be sure to follow @losrioscantina on Facebook and Instagram.

Cumming Recreation & Parks Department is accepting registrations for the 2023 Winter Youth Basketball League through Oct. 13th (or until all slots have been filled).

The league is for boys and girls ages 7 to 14, and will offer competitive play for beginners through advanced level players. Practices will begin in early November with a once-a-week practice for one hour and one game on Saturdays during the day. Weeknight games will be added toward the end of the season.

Please note: All leagues have registration limits and registrations will end when those limits are reached, regardless of registration dates, so get your registrations in early! This league is heavily dependent on volunteers for coaches. If you would like to volunteer as a coach or have any questions, please email crpdinfo@cityofcumming.net.

Any City of Cumming resident (inside the Cumming City Limits) interested in voting in the Nov. 7th Municipal Election who has not yet registered must do so by Oct. 10th. Need to register? Contact the Forsyth County Voter Registrations & Elections Office by clicking here or call 770-781-2118.

Advance/Early Voting for the Municipal Election will begin on Oct. 16th and will continue through Nov. 3rd from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day (includes Saturday, Oct. 21st and 28th, and Sunday, Oct. 22nd). All Advance/Early Voting will be held at the Forsyth County Voter Registrations & Elections Office, 1201 Sawnee Drive, while Election Day Voting will be held at City Hall, 100 Main Street, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 7th.

Click here for complete information about the 2023 Municipal Election.

During the September Regular Meeting of Mayor & City Council, several new Cumming Police Department officers were sworn in by Police Chief PJ Girvan. Additionally, three current officers - Shaw Bowman, Tyler Burns and Jonathan Fitzpatrick - were promoted to the rank of Sargeant.

The new officers, who bring the Cumming Police Department to full staff, are: Michael Bernieri, Raed ElMansy, Julian Lee-Foon, Gabe Bunch, Patrick Kane (Reserve), and Nina Lee (Reserve). The officers' families pinned their new badges and brass onto their uniforms during the ceremony. The new officers bring the Cumming Police Department to full staff.

Welcome new officers and congratulations to Sgt. Bowman, Sgt. Burns, and Sgt. Fitzpatrick!

The City of Cumming Christmas Parade will be held on Saturday, Dec. 9th, beginning at 5 p.m. Registration to participate in this year's Christmas Parade is now open! Any group or individual interested in taking part in the parade must complete the Parade Registration Form and return the completed form to Crystal Ledford at cledford@cityofcumming.net (or via regular mail at Cumming City Hall, ATTN: Crystal Ledford, 100 Main Street, Cumming, GA 30040) by Monday, Dec. 4th at 5 p.m. Questions? Email cledford@cityofcumming.net. Please note that there will be NO Christmas Festival at the Cumming Fairgrounds following this year's parade. Please plan to attend the Cumming City Center Winter/Holiday Market & Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration on Saturday, Nov. 18th from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. for Photos with Santa, holiday gift shopping, kids' crafts, live holiday music, and more!

The year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Historic Schoolhouse - which houses the School Street Playhouse, Tam's Backstage and the Historical Society of Cumming-Forsyth County - continues with another hilarious play: "Moon Over Buffalo" through Oct. 15th at the School Street Playhouse (presented by Andean Chevrolet).

In this madcap comedy, which originally starred Carol Burnett, aging actors of the 1950s, George and Charlotte Haye, try to reclaim their fading careers with one last shot at stardom: Frank Capra is coming to town to see a matinee at the repertory theater. Unfortunately, everything that can go wrong does go wrong, abetted by an unexpected visit from their daughter and her clueless fiance, confusion about what show they are performing, and a coffee pot filled with more than just coffee! This show will have audiences rolling in the aisles. Showtimes are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Click here to purchase tickets!

The Sawnee Association of the Arts held an unveiling ceremony on Sept. 27th for a new sculpture located on the lawn of the Cumming Arts Center, 111 Pilgrim Mill Road. Cumming-based artist and internationally acclaimed sculptor Gregory Johnson was introduced by City of Cumming Councilman Joey Cochran. Johnson's sculpture, "Hooked Up III," is on loan through May 2024, and will be followed by additional works by Johnson, whose works can be seen in 44 states and seven countries. They include installations in Atlanta, downtown Cumming (the Cumming Veterans War Memorial, City Hall, Forsyth County Courthouse, and County Administration Building), Alpharetta, Gainesville and many others.

Ongoing and upcoming Cumming Arts Center events in October:

• "Oh, the Places We Go" Art Exhibit
• Forsyth County High School Student and Teachers Art Exhibit
• Photography Art Show
• "Dogtober" Pet Photos and Costume Contest in Partnership with the Humane Society of Forsyth County - Oct. 28th, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Youth Council - October 3rd at 5 p.m.

City Council Work Session - October 3rd at 6 p.m.

Planning & Zoning Board Meeting - October 17th at 5 p.m.

Regular City Council Meeting - October 17th at 6 p.m.

All meetings are open to the public and held in the third-floor Council Chambers at City Hall, 100 Main Street, unless otherwise noted. For all meetings after 5 p.m., please enter through the rear parking lot entrance.

Click here for previous meeting videos.

Click here for City Council Agendas and Minutes.

Click here for Planning & Zoning Board Agendas and Minutes.