The annual Fall Foliage Leaf Hunt, a traditional and popular feature that kicks off Fall Foliage Festival Week starts Saturday, Sept 27.  

 

This year the committee has revealed that there will be 11 colorful leaves hidden in Adams, North Adams, and Williamstown. 

 

When a leaf is found, it should be brought to the Office of Tourism at North Adams City Hall during normal business hours to claim a prize. One prize per household please. Prizes are generously donated by area businesses including Big Y, Oriental Buffet, and Walmart.  

 

Upon finding a hidden leaf, the top plastic bag with the yellow or orange leaf should be removed and brought in, and the second bag with the green leaf should be left at the site.

 

This way, subsequent hunters will know they correctly solved the clue but someone already claimed the prize-winning leaf. 

 

A second set of clues will be announced in the event of unclaimed leaves. A complete list of winners, locations, and sponsors will be released in late October. All leaves should be returned by Oct. 11 to receive a prize. 

 

As always, the leaf committee has included an invisible leaf hunt for homebound residents.

 

Participants in the invisible hunt are asked to mail a postcard (or card in an envelope) with the number of the clue and the answer/s with their name, address, and phone number or email address, to the Mayor's Office of Tourism, City Hall, 10 Main St., North Adams, MA

01247. 

 

Responses may also be submitted via email to Stefanie in the Office of Tourism at statro@northadams-ma.gov. In the event of multiple correct answers, entries with the earliest postmark or sent time via email will be considered. Please submit answers to be

received by Oct. 10.

 

This year's Fall Foliage Festival theme is "To Northern Berkshire and Beyond!" and the first set of clues are:                 

 

1. A curious shopper might find Woody and Buzz's friends here — and they'll gift wrap!

 

2. An (inter)stellar way to build those muscles!

 

3. Friday night cosmic date location where you can follow in the footsteps (or eye movements) of Hopkins and Milhan.

 

4. Hope can begin here, like the height of the sun at the start of dawn.

 

5. If you follow your heart, you'll find the universal way to finish your name here.

 

6. Most of these have no beginning or end, but a select few might lead to treats.

 

7. No factory here anymore, but once upon a time, you would have found a group of immigrant workers who were brought to break a strike and were given a heavenly nickname in the process.

 

8. Shhhh … don't spill the beans on where you found that bronzing glow from the powers of Helios

 

9. Would a superstar like Taylor call on a distant cousin for HVAC solutions?

 

10. You might call it "luar," "mahina," "lloergan" or just a great brunch spot.

 

11. You *probably* won't find any mean green mothers from outer space on display here, but don't visit on the day of a solar eclipse just in case.

 

Invisible Leaf Hunt (mail-in entries only)

 

1. This turn-of-the-millennium collaborative of business, cultural, and economic development organizations began North Adams traditions that remain today, such as First Fridays.

 

2. A 1934 Civilian Conservation Corps project led to the creation of this famous back-country racing locale with a sky phenomenon for a name.