The Ellicott City Fall Festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow in the town's historic district.

The family-friendly festival is to include outdoor musical performances by 13th Dream, Yvonne's Wilde Spirits, Charm City Ramblers and Yikes McGee. Crafts for children, a juggler, face painting and a Moon Bounce are planned.

Historic sites will be open for tours and talks, including blacksmithing demonstrations at the B&O; Station Museum; a trapper-historian speaking about life in the 19th century at Thomas Isaac Log Cabin; and three distinguished speakers discussing women's changing roles at Patapsco Female Institute.

Watson to speak

County Councilwoman Courtney Watson will discuss "Some Leaders are Born Women: A Contemporary Woman's Political Journey" at 10:30 a.m. Jane L. Donawerth of the University of Maryland will discuss "Conversation, Composition and Corsets: Nineteenth Century American Education for Young Ladies" at noon; and Martha Baylor of Carleton College will talk about "How Women in Science Make a Difference in Society, from Phelps to Baylor and Beyond" at 1:30 p.m.

Book signings

Howard County Tourism will offer book signings from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. by four authors of books about Ellicott City and Columbia. They include: Victoria Goeller, co-author of Then & Now: Ellicott City; Barbara Kellner, author of Images of America: Columbia; Joseph Rocco Mitchell, co-author of New City Upon a Hill: A History of Columbia, Maryland; and Marsha Wight Wise, author of Images of America: Ellicott City.

The signing will take place outside Howard County Tourism's office, 8267 Main St.

The festival, which is free, is sponsored by the Ellicott City Business Association.

Information: Howard County Tourism, 410-313-1900.