The Washington Parish Fair is over for another year, but local folks have no reason to mourn the passage of the fun event that unites the community like one big happy family. The fall of the year is traditionally a time of gathering.

People come together over dinner tables to share holiday feasts, and at church services, which take on an increased reverence.

Besides that, there is a special energy in the air that seems to break down walls and open arms. The time of thanksgiving is at hand and the joy of the Christmas season, when people sneak around to buy presents for the ones they love in advance of the most glorious day of the year, has begun.

Autumn is a celebration, and Bogalusa’s Main Street District, in the heart of Columbia Street, is ready to enhance the spirit.

On Friday, Nov. 1, it will present Harvest Fest 2013, a fun-filled family festival designed to “put the focus on children.” There will be music, food, games, costume contests, face painting, a pumpkin decorating contest, cakewalk, even hayrides and more.

Everyone is invited to bring the kids downtown between 5 and 9 p.m. to celebrate the harvest season in the cool outdoors of Bogalusa’s historic district.

On Thanksgiving night, Nov. 28, the annual Festival of Lights will roll up Columbia Street, across town and through Cassidy Park, where it will mark the opening of Christmas in the Park. That month-long annual event transforms the natural wooded expanse with the magic of millions of colored lights on whimsical or solemn displays, and fills the air with carols and the warmth of a Yule log.

Park visitors can plan to compound the fun from Nov. 30 through Dec. 1, when the ’Tis the Season Street Stroll will attract those in the festive spirit, as well as those still in the hunt for presents, back downtown. Another Main Street project, the stroll will include live music, open shops, and artists, artisans and craftsmen offering additional gift options. A Santa’s Workshop, plus available food and beverages, will add to the possibilities for relaxation, family fun and seasonal celebration.