By Tim SchmidtRecord Managing EditorWarrenton’s Fall Festival is expected to become an annual event and organizers are already working to book next year’s musical acts.The city has eyes on .38 Special as a possible main stage band and plans to have Butch Wax and The Hollywoods return as the opening live entertainment, Director of Operations/Finance Officer Terri Thorn said at the Oct. 6 board of aldermen meeting.Aldermen gave approval to allocate $40,000 from the tourism budget to cover the musical entertainment for the 2016 festival. This year, the city requested $30,000 for the musical acts that consisted of three bands — Butch Wax and The Hollywoods, Smash Band and Dr. Zhivegas.Thorn said the early funding approval should help get the musical lineup finalized much sooner compared to this year.“Tourism wishes to go ahead and get the bands booked,” she said.The Fall Festival was held on Sept. 26 and was the first time since 2012 a street festival was held in Warrenton. The city formerly sponsored Catch the Glow, normally held in June.Besides the live music, the festival featured a large car show, dozens of food and other vendors, and a kids corner that had activities such as inflatables, a photo booth and face painting.She indicated next year’s event schedule likely will end earlier, around 8:30 p.m., compared to this year when the final band finished at 10 p.m.“We feel that is better time frame based on what we saw at this event later in the evening,” Thorn said.Butch Wax and The Hollywoods is a popular St. Louis area 10-piece band that plays hits from the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s.Meanwhile, .38 Special is a well known rock band with hits that include “Hold On Loosely,” “Caught Up in You,” “If I’d Been the One,” “Back Where You Belong,” and “Second Chance.”City officials said they heard numerous remarks from attendees who were glad to see the street festival revived.“I think it was a huge success,” Ward 2 Alderman Toni Hawley said. “I heard really good positive feedback.Mayor Eric Schleuter added: “I look forward to doing the Fall Festival next year. I think we will see continued success and more people coming.”City to pay for fireworks againWarrenton will also continue paying for the fireworks display held annually at the Warren County Fair.At the Oct. 6 meeting, aldermen voted unanimously to spend $15,000 for the 2016 event, likely to be held on Saturday, July 2, the final day of the Fair.This will be the second year in a row the city has spent $15,000 for the display after upping its contribution from $10,000.Also at the Oct. 6 meeting, aldermen approved a request from American’s Best Value Inn to spend $600 from the tourism budget to cover the cost of an interstate attraction sign.Both funding requests were recommended for approval by the tourism commission at its Sept. 22 meeting.Warrenton