A Morning Of Family Fun At The Syracuse Fall Harvest Festival
Marvin Swihart and Henry Goodrich enjoy all the animals at the petting zoo. Here they paid particular attention to the bunnies and chicken.
SYRACUSE — The 10th annual Fall Harvest Festival returned to Lakeside Park this morning for its fall fun alongside the last day of the Artisans and Farmers Market. Cooler temperatures and clear skies made for perfect fall weather, albeit chilly.
From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. activities included hay rides, pumpkin decorating, pony rides, petting zoo, pig racing, games and food vendors. The petting zoo and pony rides began at 10 a.m. Games included a ring toss, football toss, mini golf, cake walk, obstacle course and cornhole. The petting zoo boasted a pygmy goat, bunnies, guinea pigs and a chicken.
Local clowns were also present to make a wide variety of balloon animals for the long lines of children. Kruger Doodles Face Painting was accepting donations to transform children’s faces into Frankenstein, dragons, unicorns and more. Due to the cool temperatures only one tractor showed up for the antique tractor show.
Two live bands also performed at the festival. From 10 a.m. to noon, the Cool Change Band took the stage. The Guitar Banjo Band followed from noon to 2 p.m. in the gazebo.
Plenty of visitors were sure to take advantage of the last day for the farmers market and support local vendors which had moved over to Lakeside Park to join the rest of the festival.
Some sponsors for this year’s festival include Beyond Landscaping, Echoes of the Past, Parker, Wawasee Kiwanis, NIPSCO, Polywood, Lake City Bank, Syracuse Parks and Recreation, Lutheran Health Network Kosciusko Community Hospital, Lakeland Youth Center and Maple Leaf Farms.
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- The Cool Change Band entertained visitors to the festival under the new Lakeside Park pavilion.
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- Local clowns were set up making a long line of children balloon animals.
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- Bryn Stocksdale-Carlson, left, and Lana Stocksdale-Carlson pose next to the clown before receiving their balloon wands.
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- Alpacas were available for petting along with a wide variety of items made from alpaca fur.
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- Rachel Kruger of Kruger Doodles draws some colorful swirls on Vega Richardson.
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- Tiffany Beachy, left, and Teresa Rich hand out free apple cider and hot chocolate courtesy of Vineyard Community Church.
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- Charlotte Minear takes her turn on the pony ride accompanied by Amy Nicola.
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- The pig races were back again or their annual Fall Harvest Festival entertainment.
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- Breylin Hurd, left, and Ben Anglin eagerly await their dinosaur balloon animals.
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- Ray Carlson shows off his T. Rex balloon animal with a big “RAWR!”
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- Guitar Banjo Band performed last under the gazebo during the festival.
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- Free hay rides were part of the fun offered at the Syracuse Fall Harvest Festival.
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- Vendors for the Artisans and Farmers Market moved their stands to Lakeside Park to join in the festivities.
