Fall Festival

The Sykesville Business Association will sponsor the town's 30th annual fall festival from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday along Main Street downtown. This year's theme, "Family Day the Sykesville Way," will focus on town arts and crafts, activities by local businesses and restaurants and railroading. The day will start with breakfast from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church Parish House on Main Street at Sandosky Road. The cost is $5 and $2.50 for children for a plate of pancakes, sausage, applesauce and a beverage.

The Carroll County Farm Museum will celebrate the season next weekend at its annual Fall Harvest Days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. The event offers traditional autumn activities such as stuffing a life-size scarecrow, mule- and tractor-pulled wagon rides, butchering meat, making apple butter and playing old-time games. This year's featured guest artist will be Curb Records' singer Rodney Atkins performing his single "Honesty" and other songs from his self-titled album at 3 p.m. Saturday.

PAINT A PUMPKIN, make a scarecrow or browse the more than 70 crafts and food booths during the weekend at Festival on the Ridge, Mount Airy's annual celebration of fall. The festival will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, with most activities held on Main Street, which will be closed to traffic. "We really are aiming to entice families, young and old," said Ellie Bonde, a member of the planning committee. The festival will offer live entertainment on two stages, a children's area and contests, including pet competitions, a beautiful-baby contest, and pie- and spaghetti-eating tournaments.

IF, DURING the coming weeks, you find yourself thinking, "There's nothing to do this weekend," you'd better double-check that calendar. There's so much to do this fall; we offer a sampling for your consideration: Kinder Farm Park's third annual Fall Harvest Festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Sponsored by the Friends of Kinder Farm Park, the family fun day will be packed with games and crafts for the kids, the highlight of which will be making a scarecrow to take home.

Mount Airy's annual Festival on the Ridge took on a different hue this year. Instead of the traditional crimson and gold decor, organizers went with red, white and blue in keeping with the patriotism gripping the country since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. "Ordinarily, you can't mix fall colors with red, white and blue, but this year it works," said Jennifer Heflin, who helped organize the two-day festival that continues today. "It is our whole theme this weekend. We have to keep our flags flying."

Mount Airy's annual Festival on the Ridge took on a different hue this year. Instead of the traditional crimson and gold decor, organizers went with red, white and blue in keeping with the patriotism gripping the country since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. "Ordinarily, you can't mix fall colors with red, white and blue, but this year it works," said Jennifer Heflin, who helped organize the two-day festival that continues today. "It is our whole theme this weekend. We have to keep our flags flying."

Trinity School in Ellicott City will hold its Fall Festival from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. The event is one of the largest yearly fund-raisers for the independent Roman Catholic school. The festival, which will include hayrides, pumpkin decorating, raffles, haircuts and a silent auction, will be held on the school's 49-acre campus, 4985 Ilchester Road. Information: 410-744-1524.

UNION BRIDGE will hold its annual Fall Festival from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 16 on the grounds of Lehigh Portland Cement Co. About a dozen crafters will showcase their work, and Bear Branch Nature Center will have a reptile display. Jesse McCarley will perform magic tricks. For the first time, the Carroll County Volunteer Firemen's Association will demonstrate its Carroll County Family Safety House, which was dedicated last month, said Karen Kotarski, a member of the Union Bridge fire company and a Town Council member.

In Baltimore City Planning Commission OKs proposal to convert apartments The Planning Commission approved yesterday a proposed $17 million conversion of the Northway apartments at 3700 N. Charles St. into upscale housing for senior citizens despite protests from a half-dozen of the nearly 200 residents who would be displaced by the project. Morningside Developments Inc.'s proposal requires that all residents of the 85-unit building vacate their units. At the request of planning commissioners, Morningside representatives promised to give residents 90 days' notice.

Experimental music festivalExplore experimental music during the High Zero Festival of Experimental Improvised Music, tomorrow through Sunday at three Baltimore venues. A group of 28 local, national and international sound improvisers and experimenters play solo or in groups from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. tomorrow at the Lodge, 244 S. Highland Ave.; 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Charles Theatre, 1711 N. Charles St.; and 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 14 Karat Cabaret, 218 W. Saratoga St. Admission is $8 for each concert; $25 for a four-show pass; and $50 for a premium pass, including a limited-edition CD. Call 410-889-5854, or visit the Web site at www.redroom.