By Laura Bailey
An idyllic autumn outing filled with grilled food, fresh apple cider and hayrides greeted visitors to the third annual “Fall Family Festival” on Saturday.
Sixty-degree weather and abundant sunshine brought hundreds of festivalgoers to the 280-acre Indian Rock Nature Preserve.
“It’s so nice to be outside on a day like this,” said Beth Simpson. “My granddaughter and I went on a hike and shared apple cider donuts.”
Simpson, a Bristol resident, was attending the festival for the first time with her family.
A tractor-driven hayride took visitors for a trip through the hiking trails that encircled a beautiful lake. Families stopped by the pumpkin patch to pick their perfect autumn decoration, while children had the opportunity to participate in a pumpkin decorating contest.
Dozens of children smiled as they dove into the giant leaf pile next to a large, shady oak tree. A flurry of leaves and laughs filled the air as the kids tossed them around at each other.
“The kids love jumping in the leaves,” said Fern Vaughn. “That’s the kind of family fun that we want to see.”
Vaughn, who coordinated the event, said that some of the activities had a colonial theme.
Among the colonial-themed activities was a blacksmithing demonstration at the Pebble House, where the crowd watched a young blacksmith make an iron hook.
Visitors had the opportunity to make their own cider with apples grown in the Indian Rock Orchard onsite.
“Who doesn’t love warm cider?” asked Simpson, “It’s just been so much fun today.”
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