Voted "Best of the West" by the "Grand Junction Daily Sentinel's" readership in 2001, 2002, 2006, 2008 and 2009, the Fruita Fall Festival is the granddaddy of festivals on the Western Slope. This festival started in 1910 as a harvest festival for the local fruit production industry and has evolved to a major event. It includes three days of events with music, carnival rides, a parade, a bed race, a baking and canning contest, a youth pet and talent show, two stages of music, and arts and crafts vendors. The event is celebrated on the last full weekend in September. The nearest commercial airport is Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT) in Grand Junction east. Allegiant Airlines, American Airlines, SkyWest Airlines (flying as both United Express and Delta Connection) and US Airways provide direct service to Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Salt Lake City. Charter companies Colorado Flight Center and Denver Air Connection providing connections to nearby regional destinations. Fruita is on Route 8 of the Grand Valley Transit, the operating regional bus transportation system. The bus connects Fruita stops with the Mesa Mall on U.S. Highway 6 and 50 at the 24 1/2 Road. Fruita lies off exit 19 of Interstate 70, along U.S. Highway 6 and 50 and at the western end of State Highway 340. The State Highway 139 connects west with the northern city of Rangely and Dinosaur National Monument. The nearest passenger train station is southeast at the Grand Junction Amtrak station. This station is served by the "California Zephyr" train. It was originally built by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. The mainline, now used by the Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway, runs east-west along the city which serves industrial rail use.