October 15 will be a jam-packed. The day begins with “Breakfast on the Boat” at the CSS Neuse II in cooperation with the Ironclad Races Half-Marathon and 5K runs. The half marathon starts at 7:30 a.m. The 5k starts at 7:45 a.m. Breakfast will be served from 7 a.m. until around 10:30 a.m.

A new event will join the mix this year. From 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on that day, you can join the CSS Neuse Gunboat Association in celebrating the first “Autumn’s in the Air” community fall festival at the Governor Richard Caswell Memorial in Kinston, located at 2612 W. Vernon Avenue in Kinston.

General admission is free for the festival itself, but those who wish to participate in three of the special activities will need to pay a $12 fee. The three special activities include a gaming truck, GellyBall, and a hayride complete with one pumpkin person.

When I first read about “GellyBall,” I did a double take. What in the world is “GellyBall”?

GellyBall is a revolutionary, lower-impact, shooting game for all ages – sort of like paintball without the stains and sting. Commercial-grade, battery-powered blasters launch hydrated gel orbs at targets – or other players – in a variety of game scenarios. A maximum of four players can play at one time. Equipment will be provided.

GellyBall ammunition is 90 percent water mixed with a biodegradable and non-toxic gel. The orbs contain no paint or stain. With zero cleanup required outdoors and little cleanup indoors, GellyBall is the perfect experience for nearly any event, location, and age.

Hematoma Paintball Field is bringing a pop-up field with blow-up bunkers. This field will allow everyone who wants to participate to play GellyBall.

For video-gamers, a gaming truck with Xbox One X, PlayStation 4 Pro, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation VR will be available from 11 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Someone will be in charge of supervising the gaming truck to make sure everyone has a chance to rotate through. Again, this event is included for those who pay the $12 fee.

The festival will also feature a hayride complete with pick-a-pumpkin. The limit is one pumpkin per person while supplies last. The hayride is also included for those who pay the $12 fee.

But many of the events are free to those who attend. Chris Raines with C&C Music will be the DJ for the day.

Other free activities for the day include the Crayon Bounce House for toddlers and Monster Truck Bounce House for kids and teens, both courtesy of Let’s Party Fun Center. Aria Custom Designs is offering face painting for free. A Mini Maze for kids, Touch-a-Truck by the Kinston Fire Department and Kinston Police Department, and games, games, and more games are all free and open to all who attend.

“We will have food trucks, beer, Italian ice, funnel cakes, lemonade, and a festive backdrop for family photos,” said Keith Hayes, president of the Gunboat Association. “Mother Earth Brewing and Spirits and Social House Vodka will have alcohol available for purchase.”

Treion Fields will provide Specialty Lemonades, and Sunset Slush Italian Ice will offer Italian ices. Reeks Kitchen Food Truck out of Greenville, Larine’s Kitchen Food Truck out of Clayton, and Fairytale Concessions Food Truck out of Rocky Mount will be onsite for those who wish to purchase food.

In addition, the festival will host another special event: Lenoir County SPCA Adoption of a Pet. Apply early so you can take a sweet pet home that day as a perpetual reminder of your first Gunboat Association “Fall Festival.” To get an early start on the adoption process, click the link to the SPCA adoption application: https://bit.ly/3xPvPCq

Other community vendors include ambassadors from Predator or Prey Wildlife Sanctuary; RADD, Inc. (Raising Awareness for the Developmentally Disabled); Sweet & Boozy; Andria’s Crafts and Things; Neuse Regional Libraries; Downtown Kinston Revitalization; Lenoir Community College; NC Cooperative Extension; Kinston Community Council for the Arts; Curious Crafts, LLC; Munka Nene Designs; Coastal Country Christian; Hope Preparatory School; Butterball, LLC; Deana Monét's Luxury Foods, Sweets and Catering; and Made By Mamoo.

Sponsors thus far for the festival are Eric Rouse, County Commissioner; Spence Automotive; Aria Custom Designs; Byrd’s Restaurant; Dunn and Dalton Architects; Tommy's Heating and Air; Piggly Wiggly on McLewean Street and Piggly Wiggly at the Plaza; and Hematoma Paintball.

The CSS Neuse Gunboat Association Inc. is the 501(c) 3 non-profit group supporting the mission of the CSS Neuse Museum, located at 100 N. Queen Street in downtown Kinston.

Please come and support this fundraiser. All proceeds will go to new educational and interpretive programming at the Governor Richard Caswell Memorial.

Mike Parker is a columnist for the Neuse News. He is also a member of the board of the gunboat association. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.