'Tis the season for football, fall festivals and events

Can you smell it? Pumpkin spice and everything nice has begun to pop up in coffee shops and restaurants everywhere. The popular seasonal scent joins the early onslaught of the fall decor trifecta; Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The familiar tune of leaves rustling and football helmets pounding rings throughout area stadiums and school yards. Welcome to the season of fall festivals and football.

This week’s to-do list takes us to the Mules season opener football game Friday night, then Wayne County to the 35th annual Williamsville Labor Day picnic.

• Need a little gridiron action? Make your way to Mules Stadium at the Poplar Bluff High School Friday night as the Mules take on the Rams of Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School (MICDS) out of St. Louis in the Mules’ season opener. Kickoff starts at 7 p.m. Go Mules! The Sho-Me Band will be there pepping up the crowd and debuting some new field show music they’ve been working on. Go Sho-Me Band!

• The 35th annual Williamsville/Black River Fire Department Labor Day picnic is set for Friday and Saturday at the Williamsville city picnic grounds next to the school on Highway A. Sponsored by the Williamsville Lions Club, the annual two-day event is the unofficial start to the area’s fall festivals. The picnic is famous far and wide for talented entertainment, delicious food and fun activities. The highlighted attraction this year will be the Randolph County Rangers of Cowboy Fast Draw Association. Attendees will be able to meet champion fast draw shooters and those ages 12 and up can try their hand at shooting, using real Colt 45 pistols. All proceeds from the picnic will benefit the local fire dept. and other civic projects. For more information call Gene Bilbrey at 573-998-2434.

Movies premiering this week: Spider Man-Far From Home, rated PG-13; Bennett’s War, rated PG-13; Playmobil: The Movie, rated for most audiences, not yet rated.

Whatever you choose, have some fun checking off your own to-do list this weekend.

Email suggestions for the To-Do list to news@darnews.com