The fall season is a time for enjoying the upcoming cooler weather and also the time for a few last festivals before the holiday season descends upon us.

If a road trip is agreeable, you might opt to check out the Grenada Afterglow Film Festival next weekend, which will offer art and films to enjoy.

The festival is in its third year, and they are expecting over 1,000 attendees, according to co-director Isabella Kinder.

The art market component of the event will be held Saturday, Oct. 8 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will feature over 45 artists including painters, photographers and other artists displaying everything from pottery, jewelry, birdhouses and an assortment of handcrafted items.

Several Mississippi writers will be selling their books as part of Afterglow Writers Row. If you bring along the kids, Shaggy and Scooby Doo will make an appearance with the Mystery Machine.

The market is free, along with the music and many fun workshops. Admission to the films is $10 per adult and $5 per child under 12 years of age.

High school student Julie Buckholdt created all of the artwork being used for the posters and program cover. The festival has had over 40 entries to the Art Contest they are sponsoring. Buckholdt is also a local filmmaker and will be teaching a Claymation/stop motion workshop.

If film buffs and video game aficionados are in your group, they will be in luck as this festival offers films, film-related workshops including tech workshops, a drone demonstration, a presentation on the basics of video game development, a special FX makeup workshop, talks by app developers and tech entrepreneurs, virtual reality gaming demos and the Afterglow Throwdown Video Game Tournament where there will be costume contests and prizes.

If this is not enough, a film crew from MPB Mississippi Roads will be there too.

On Friday, Oct. 7, the opening night event will be a murder mystery comedy improv show where the audience gets to choose how the show ends.

The West of Shake Rag Improv Troupe will present “Mister Murdery” in which there are five suspects, one crime and no script. This fun show will be held at Grenada Education Center Auditorium at 423 South Line Street. Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for children aged 12 and under, and the show begins at 7 p.m.

To get to the market on the downtown Grenada Square you can enter 97 First Street in your GPS. For more information about the festival, including the film schedule, visit www.grenadaafterglow.com.

For additional questions, email isabellak@grenadaafterglow.com.

With all the offerings, this festival is a road trip worth making to the nearby town of Grenada and an easy way to support the arts and entertain your family at the same time.

ANDI BEDSWORTH is owner of Art To Go, which brings free art opportunities to children in the community.