PINE BUSH – Mark the date, Saturday, April 27 (rain date April 28). And be sure and make sure your attitude adjustors are cleaned and sparkling for the third iteration of the Pine Bush UFO Festival and Fair.

Actually, the "Fair" part is new. Recognizing that visitors love to shop and mingle, the Town of Crawford has opened the festival to an all-day affair, with vendors on Main Street (Route 52) and an "Out Of This World Car Show" at the Town Government Center on Route 302, across from the high school.

Main Street will be closed to traffic from 9 a.m. to just after 3 p.m., and the UFO Parade will now roll at 3 p.m.

Following last year's parade and festival, Orange County Tourism suggested that the festival be broadened and lengthened. A degree of unhappiness emerged with this suggestion, and it resulted in the August 10, 2012 resignation of the event's original organizing committee.

Following that, the Town of Crawford moved to keep the festival rolling, and a new committee was instated over the winter.

Sue Wiand, chair of the old committee, and a prime mover in getting the festival off the ground in the first place, said that, "I've had minimal contact with the new committee. I was asked to come back if I was interested, but I'm not."

Wiand also noted that she is enjoying being free of the stress of organizing something as large and rambunctious as the Pine Bush UFO Festival and Fair had become.

"I want this to be a success, of course," she added. "And if I'm approached, then I will help out. It's the same for most of the former committee, who are just keeping their fingers crossed for the new one."

During the day, while people shop and mingle, there will be bands playing, and pony rides and face painting, as well as a treasure hunt for the younger generation. There will be food from local restaurants and vendors, and for those with a more serious interest in the phenomenon of UFOs, there will be programming at the Pine Bush Library.

Linda Zimmerman will discuss her new book, "In the Night Sky: Hudson Valley UFO Sightings from the 1930s to the Present." Inevitably, Pine Bush features prominently in any such discussion.

Another author, Thomm Quackenbush, will present his "Night Dream" book series, the third book of which takes place, in part, at the Pine Bush UFO Fair.

In addition, Felix and Sarah Olivieri will speak about their film "In the Night Sky: I Recall A UFO," a documentary based on Linda Zimmerman's book.

Then, at three, all that is weird and wonderful about Pine Bush will roll out in the parade, to celebrate the extraordinary whatever-they-ares that have at times infested the night skies over this patch of Orange County, New York.

"Once again, our community is coming together over this to make this year's event the best ever," noted Domanie Ragni, Community Services Director for the Town of Crawford.

To keep abreast of what's going on as we get closer to the great day, check out www.ufopinebushfestival.com. And don't forget that area resident Carlos Torres reported seeing a large silent "craft" fly over his house on January 4 this year.

You never know just who, or what exactly, may be checking the scene out this year.