SOUTH FORK — The parking lot outside of the South Fork Community Center was transformed early Saturday evening on Sept. 24 and a line of hungry guests wrapped all the way down the length of the pickleball courts as the smell of freshly roasted pork filled the air. The first-ever Fall Festival was well on its way to being a success and there was more to come.

Many in the San Luis Valley woke up Friday morning, Sept. 23, to see that summer had changed fonts and autumn was just about in full swing in the high country just above the town of South Fork.

A team of volunteers from both the South Fork Visitor Center and Town of South Fork showed up to see how their two hogs were doing from when they were placed in the ground the night before.

“Believe it or not, the community center actually has a pig roasting pit behind the north side. It had been there about 20 years, but it was covered in dirt, so, we cleaned it out and roasted the pigs for about 19 hours. We started it Friday night and pulled it out about 3 p.m. on Saturday to start cleaning it and getting ready for our hungry guests,” said South Fork Visitor Center Director Dustin Hund.

By that evening, the town and all who passed through could smell the intoxicating aroma and a crowd began to gather outside of the community center as local band, The Bent Ears hit the outdoor stage and the South Fork Fire Rescue lit a bonfire. It was the perfect ending to the first full day of fall and the aspen trees' fall foliage made sure to show up for the event in style.

The mountains were a sight to be seen that morning and into the day, drawing crowds of people to the high country for a glimpse at the changing of the seasons. By the time they came down from their day of fun, they were eager to partake in the free hog roast sponsored by the visitor center and the town. Plates were filled to the brim with freshly roasted pork and accompanying sides.

Tables filled quickly and many who came to attend the dinner sat in the bleachers or set up chairs outside to enjoy the evening sky and the live entertainment. As the evening wore on, people gathered around the bonfire and watched as the sun sank below the mountains.

As the evening rolled on, it became clear within the first couple of hours that more people than anticipated had shown up.

“It was made abundantly clear that we were going to run out of food. Within the first hour, we had already run out of cookies and rolls. We served about 500 people and about 600 showed up, so unfortunately, we had to turn some folks away. We will be better prepared next year,” said Hund.

Next up, the Town of South Fork and the visitor center will be hosting their annual South Fork Chili Cookoff. It is free to enter the contest, and anyone who is interested is asked to contact Hund at 719-873-5512. The event will be from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 13. There will be a $5 entrance fee for people coming to taste.

After the Chili Cookoff, the South Fork Fire Rescue Ladies Auxiliary will be hosting its annual Halloween Extravaganza on Oct. 31 from 4 to 7 p.m. Activities for all ages are planned.