WOONSOCKET, R.I. (WPRI) — As temperatures dip and leaves fall, Woonsocket’s annual Autumnfest Parade took over Diamond Hill Road on Monday, perfectly ushering in the season.

The Rhode Island tradition celebrated its 46th year, drawing nearly a thousand attendees for the Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day weekend.

The two-and-a-half-hour parade kicked off at 10 a.m., featuring more than 45 participants, including Ghostbusters, superheroes, and local school bands, as crowds lined the street to watch.

The parade concluded at World War II Veterans Memorial Park on Social Street, where festivities were held throughout the weekend.

Autumnfest offered live music, food from 20 vendors, rides, and games for the whole family. With the holidays approaching, over 60 handmade and artisan vendors set up shop for early gift seekers.

This year, a city grant funded a main stage at the park, which Autumnfest Chairperson Stephanie Santoro said changed the atmosphere.

“We’ve had wonderful headliner shows and all the supporting bands, entertainment on that main stage and it brought this new energy to the park that we just love,” Santoro said.

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