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10/13/2021 09:00 AMThe 23rd annual Bauer Park Harvest Festival is set for this Saturday, Oct. 16. This event is a free celebration of the pre-electric history of Madison and is billed as a great way to a family to rid themselves of their electronics and spend the day watching and participating in hands-on hand crafting in a beautiful setting.
Bauer Park Advisory Committee member Ruthanna Terreri said the annual event is a special opportunity for residents to welcome in the fall season and to honor the local crafting heritage of the shoreline.
“The opportunity for our community to come together [and] spend precious family time unplugged is very special. It is important to carry on a centuries-old tradition celebrating the season and good fortune. This will be a special day to play, learn, connect to, and appreciate the history that shaped our community and town,” said Terreri.
During the event, the farm house located on the property will be open and a large selection of hand tools will be on display. According to Terreri, there will be hay rides, children’s crafts, apple tasting, pumpkin painting, a hay maze, live music, a food tent, scarecrow making, a cider press, and a whole lot more.
Terreri said the event began as a way to fund raise for the needed upkeep of the property, but more importantly to keep these agricultural traditions alive for residents.
“It started as a way to raise funds to maintain the park by celebrating a time of year that was so critical to farmers such as the Bauers, and the entire community. Also, what better way to raise awareness of all the park has to offer?” Terreri asked.
Though country fairs are a special part of many shoreline communities and still honor the area’s agricultural past, they now cater to a developing clientele that need games, lights, and tribute bands. According to the mission of the committee, this fest tries to capture the feel of a genuine country fair from a hundred years ago without the glitz and glam that is sometimes now a part of some events.
Bauer Park is located at 257 Copse Road in Madison, opposite the intersection of Copse Road and Hunter’s Trail. The Harvest Festival runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is open to the public and free to all.
According to Terreri, the event, which was not held last year due to pandemic concerns is a unique opportunity to revisit the area’s heritage.
“This is such a great way to teach and honor the essence and history of the Bauer as a farm,” said Terreri.