St. Mark's Lutheran Church, 5 Brooke Manor, Birdsboro, will present its annual Fall Festival on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. rain or shine. The event, which is free and open to the community, will include food sales, live music and children's activities.

A highlight of the event this year will be a new activity - an apple pie baking contest that will take place at 1 p.m. Entries must be registered by Saturday, Sept. 10; there will be a nominal entry fee. The top three bakers will be awarded prizes. All entrants will receive a gift. Judges will be the Rev. Jim Farnsworth, St. Mark's pastor; Denise Bennicoff from Uncle Jack's Corner; and Birdsboro Mayor Tony Scioli. To apply for the contest, call the church office at 610-582-8167 or visit http://www.stmarkbirdsboro.org/events and scroll down to the Fall Festival.

Food that will be available for sale during the Fall Festival will include funnel cake, popcorn, fried Oreos and french fries. The church youth group will offer walking tacos, and the men's group, Beer, Brats and Bibles, will offer pulled pork sandwiches.

Homemade apple dumplings made by church members will be available. It is recommended that apple dumplings be reserved in advance by contacting the church office.

For children, there will be a moon bounce, face painting, rock painting, a barrel train ride and a game zone. Girl Scouts from the church will help with the games.

A silent auction will be available outside, as well as a children's Chinese auction in the fellowship hall. Silent auction items will include a wall hanging; a gardening basket with tools and gloves; and gift cards, including two all-day passes to Bear Creek Resort. The children's auction will feature games and toys, including a Lego set.

Bingo will be offered by the church's senior club. The club, which meets from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays of the month, includes activities and a homecooked meal. "We (just completed) our first year, and we are averaging 50 people every time," noted St. Mark's administrative coordinator Marsha Springel.

Community groups that will have displays at the Fall Festival include the 1st Street Players, which will offer beverages and games; Thrivent and the Native American Church of Turtle Island, which will have informational booths; and Eastern Star, which will provide information on service dogs.

Students from Immaculate Conception Academy will sell hot dogs, and students from John Paul II Center for Special Learning will sell popcorn and homemade crafts. St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church will have a craft table and Cub Scouts from the church will sell nachos and prepackaged popcorn. The Boone Area Library will sell history books, and the local chapter of the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps will have pretzels for sale and be in charge of traffic control.

Live music will be provided by Dave Kline and Threefold Blessing. "Our Strings of Praise will also be doing a set," said Springel, noting that Farnsworth plays the ukulele in the church band.

For more information about the Fall Festival, visit http://www.stmarkbirdsboro.org or http://www.facebook.com/StMarksBirdsboro.