Quarry Road Trails to Host Fall Festival on November 1, 2025

WATERVILLE, MAINE— The Fall Festival at Quarry Road Trails on November 1 features a variety of free, fun activities for children and families before the snow flies. This year, the Friends of Quarry Road and the City of Waterville are adding more activities for kids—and all residents—from Noon-3 p.m.

Free activities for children include a bike or hike parade in costumes from the night before (Halloween), apple slinging, pumpkin bowling, pumpkin tic tac toe, cornhole, face painting, pumpkin bingo, a story walk, a fall art project, and the Great Pine Cone Scavenger Hunt.

A free S’more Station will be managed by Colby College student volunteers at a fire pit.

Festival goers are also invited to view progress on over $1.5 million in facility improvements and investments in programming, equipment, and longer-term plans for the park.

“We have much to celebrate with the completion of this massive site infrastructure project, including the elimination of persistent ponding and mud issues in the meadow and parking areas, new stormwater management systems, lighting improvements, and much more,“ said Jeff Tucker, Quarry Road Trails Director.

While most parking will be paved, new event parking space will be using grass pavers. New drainage and stormwater management systems, including underground, engineered filtration, have been installed in and around the meadow and parking areas to improve public access and conditions for year-round events in variable weather.

“The relocated yurt is back in business as our Welcome Center,” said Tucker. “The site isn’t picture-perfect yet, but Quarry Road Trails will be open in time for this winter, and that’s terrific.”

Contributors to this infrastructure project include the Northern Border Regional Commission-U.S. Department of Agriculture, Harold Alfond Foundation, Bill & Joan Alfond Family Foundation, Maine Department of Transportation, City of Waterville, and Friends of Quarry Road. Over $90,000 in state and federal permitting was required. The City’s cash contribution is $35,000, with additional in-kind oversight by City Engineer Andrew McPherson. 

Friends Executive Director Jennifer Kierstead said, “Beyond infrastructure improvements, we have even more to celebrate with the purchase of all new snowshoes free for public use, starter ski, bike and paddling equipment for a gear hub,  completion of three amazing murals, the successful launch of the Outdoor Adventure Club for teens, a new sign at the corner of North Street and Quarry Road, exciting concept drawings of an outdoor recreation center, and reports on forest management/stewardship and mountain bike trails to guide us for years to come.”

These products and services provided by 12 Maine businesses were paid for with a $140,000 State ARPA Travel, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation grant awarded to the Friends of Quarry Road last year by the Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation, Maine Department of Economic and Community Development.  

“We are also excited to announce a recent $25,000 donation from Kennebec Savings Bank, which enables us to extend the rope tow to the Hemlocks on the historic alpine hill this season, another 75 vertical feet,” said Kierstead. KSB is the venue’s leading community banking partner, she said. The Alpine hill is already a proven training ground to learn to ski, including night skiing. 

“There is something for everyone at this year’s festival,” she said. 

Plans for forestry management, mountain biking, and a year-round outdoor recreation center will be displayed at the Snowmaking Building and will be posted on the venue’s website, quarryroad.org.  Other info booths include one on the Outdoor Adventure Club for teens, volunteer opportunities, after school youth Nordic and Alpine skiing programs, and season passes.

The Snowmaking Building also now features a large mural by Maine artist Spenser MacLeod. The range of four-season recreation available at the site is illustrated and includes birds and four-legged animals spotted at the park.  MacLeod worked with teens to create a mural for the South End Teen Center three years ago.
To complement the Fermentation Festival downtown, a walk in the woods at Quarry Road is planned with Richie Tory who has led mushroom workshops and walks for over 30 years in central Maine.

Joining the City and Friends of Quarry Road are community partners Colby College, Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce, Children’s Discovery Museum, South End Teen Center, Central Maine Chapter, New England Mountain Bike Association, Quarry Road Ski Club, and local artist Carrie Schenck Haberstock. 

To volunteer, contact Quarry Trails Volunteer Coordinator Jeanine Libby at volunteer@quarryroad.org. Registration is open for Youth Nordic and Alpine learn to ski programs, see Youth Nordic Program — Quarry Road Ski Club  and Learn to Downhill Ski / Ride — Quarry Road Ski Club. ###