Fall weather has finally arrived and there is no shortage of fall activities to enjoy. Whether you are a football fan or a leaf peeper October is the sweet spot for fall activity.

Oct. 17 will be an early dismissal day in the district’s schools. Middle and high school students will be dismissed 12:15 p.m. and elementary students 1:15 p.m.

Oct. 17 is also a Salisbury Elementary School T-shirt day and it is picture retake day at Salisbury Middle School. If your child is having his/her picture retaken their original photo package must be returned on that day.

Also of note, picture retake day at SHS will take place Oct. 29.

The SES Book Fair will be held Oct. 24-30 and evening hours for the book fair will be 4-7 p.m. Oct. 28.

A book character parade will be held Oct. 24 at SES. Children can participate by dressing up as a favorite character from a book so now is the time for discussing and planning with your child. The parade for students in grades 2-4 will take place 9:45 a.m. and students in K-1 will walk 10:30 a.m.

There will be a three hour delayed opening at SHS Oct. 22 for the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

SHS will hold a blood drive in partnership with Miller Keystone Blood Center 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 11. Students must be 16 years of age with a parent permission slip and a photo ID to be eligible to give blood. Appointments are needed and can be made with Mrs. Basile or use the QR code in the community update newsletter on the district website.

Trinity Memorial Lutheran Church will hold a basket and gift card social 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 25 and noon to 3 p.m. Oct. 26 in the church hall. More than 200 themed baskets will be available and if you bring a nonperishable food item you will have a chance to win a “super household basket.” The church is located at 535 W. Emaus Ave., Allentown.

In addition to the basket social, the church welcomes the community to attend a trunk or treat event 6-8 p.m. Oct. 25. This safe, family-friendly event features decorated cars and trunks with candy treats for little ghosts and goblins.

The Emmaus Public Library will host a Books and Barks event 6:30-7:30 p.m. Oct. 23. Beginning readers and up are invited to read aloud to dogs from Lehigh Valley Therapy Dogs. No registration is required so you can just drop in with your favorite book or borrow a book from the library.

There are so many events to enjoy at the library from monthly chair yoga, book clubs for all ages, writing groups, story time for children and guest speakers.

The Salisbury Township Public Works Department will conduct a curbside branch collection for residents during the week of Oct. 13. An open container may be used for small twigs, but no bags or lids are permitted. No more than five bundles/cans per property is permitted.

The township recycling drop off sites are open. The Devonshire site will be open Oct. 16 and 18 and the Franko Farm site will be open Oct. 20, 23 and 25. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.

“Goodbye is hard to say — not as hard, perhaps, as ‘No cheesecake for me, thanks.’” Myra Zirkle