Fall Foliage Weekends 2015 begin Saturday and Sunday, with a combination of arts and crafts vendors, food, free music, shopping and dining specials and atmosphere to Jim Thorpe.

Presented by the Jim Thorpe Tourism Agency, Fall Foliage Weekends continue Oct. 10-11, and 17-18.Emphasis is placed on spreading out the familiar crowds and giving them more things to do and more reasons to explore other parts of town, in addition to the area around the new Josiah White Park adjacent to the downtown train station.Downtown Festival organization chair Liz Mulligan of the Gem Shop has taken extensive care in assembling an excellent group of arts and crafts vendors and food providers, all over town.Local restaurants and shops will offer festive specialties. Contact information is available on

www.JimThorpe.org.While the town sees the construction of a new bridge to Route 209 that will allow for easier access from Route 80, care has been taken to provide alternate parking for visitors at nearby Mauch Chunk Lake and shuttles for the short ride into town.The Jim Thorpe Tourism Agency has developed a schedule of free music that will take place at various venues up and down Broadway including the new downtown gazebo, at the YMCA building on Broadway, and in front of the Mauch Chunk Opera House. The schedule of music is available at

www.jimthorpe.org and includes music from Lehigh Valley musicians Steve Brosky and Jimmy Meyer, Friends of Tom, as well local favorites YMI, Brad and Luke, and Jay Smar, and many others.In addition to the daily schedule of free music, the Mauch Chunk Opera House will present ticketed performances each Saturday night.Paid Opera House performances include Dala, Tribute to Neil Diamond, The Alt, Ted Vigil's Tribute to John Denver, Damn the Torpedos, The Young Dubliners, Leo Kottke, and Eaglemania. Info is at

www.mcohjt.comKeep track of all fall foliage details on

www.JimThorpe.org, or on Facebook.com/FallFoliageWeekends, or call 570-325-5810 for more information.