50 years. It’s been 50 years since the first Corvallis Fall Festival ribbon-cutting.

While it started as a way to welcome Oregon State University students back into town after a long summer, the festival has grown to be known across the entire Pacific Northwest.

This Saturday, the free-entry festival opens up at 10 a.m. in Central Park, with parking located on SW Madison Ave. between SW 6th St. & SW 7th St.

“Our mission is to highlight the art and artists in Benton County and to create a community event,” said Donele Pettit-Mieding, executive director of the Corvallis Fall Festival.

There will be live music from performers across the Pacific Northwest. These performances will include songs from artists such as Monmouth Taiko, Tin Can Alley and West. There will be music in a variety of styles such as Japanese taiko, New Orleans jazz and indie rock.

Alongside music, there will be an Art Discovery Zone where vendors will be able to show off and sell their art. The art will range from photography to ceramics.

There will be food vendors at the event who will be fundraising for a handful of local nonprofit organizations, including the Corvallis Lions Club, which supports individuals with blindness and hearing impairments, and Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence Corvallis, which supports survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.

On the second day of the festival, there will be a 1k, 5k and 10k run. Those running the 5k race will be running along the riverside of the city while runners in the 10k race will be running around the town of Corvallis.

“One of the reasons why (the event is) free is because then there are no barriers to entry and all the money can go into supporting the artists,” Pettit-Mieding said.

For more information about the Corvallis Fall Festival, visit here.