SUNDAY, Harvest Fest in Palmer Park, Oct 5th 2014

 

Harvest Festival at Palmer Park

Apples, Animals & Hayrides through the Woods!

Sunday, October 5, 2 - 5 pm

DETROIT: Once farmland and home to a multitude of animals and orchards, the celebration of the Harvest at Detroit's Palmer Park was honored in the days of Senator and Mrs. Palmer in the late 1800s, when Palmer Park was known as Log Cabin Farm.

Reviving this tradition, on Sunday, October 5 from 2 - 5 pm People for Palmer Park presents its free annual Harvest Festival with hayrides through the historic woods; apple tasting and applesauce-making demos; petting zoo and pony rides; tours through Palmer Park's new urban garden and pumpkin patch; arts and crafts and games for children; music-making; games, and much more. This will be a fun opportunity for all ages to learn about how our food is grown, the lives of farm animals, and nature in the park.

The event takes place by the new Splash Park, on Merrill Plaisance near Pontchartrain, between McNichols and Seven Mile Roads, west of Woodward Avenue. Parking in available at the Splash Park parking lot.

Special harvest treats will be on hand for tasting, including the five varieties of apples that grow in the park. Corn will be roasted, and cider and donuts, as well has homemade applesauce will be available (for first 300 attendees). A special squash display will demonstrate the wide variety of pumpkins and squash that grow in Michigan and how they look inside and out!

 

 

 

 

 

Motor City Music Together with Leah Celebi will give children the opportunity to play instruments, sing, and have fun with music. At our new urban educational garden, several arts and crafts stations will be set up so children can make birdhouses, take home a small mint cutting, decorate mini-pumpkins, and more.

Hero or Villain Van will be joining us with delicious, fresh sandwiches (gluten-free available) with meat and vegetarian options for purchase, and locally-made organic Mystic Kettle Corn will also be available.

Explore the woods, either on the hayride or by walking on the guided path to view ancient and intriguing trees and plants who have their home in Palmer Park.

Like last year, we enjoyed a dairy cow at the festival, so children were able try their hand at milking this magnificent animal. We have invited her to return, but even if she can't attend, there will be much to explore, experience and celebrate.

What: Harvest Festival with Petting Zoo and Hayride through the woods
When: Sunday, October 5, 2014, from 2 - 5 pm
Where: Palmer Park, by the Splash Park parking lot, Merrill Plaisance, west of Woodward between 6 & 7 Mile Roads, Detroit
Why: To celebrate and appreciate Palmer Park and harvest
Who: People of all ages, especially children!

How much: Free

 

What else: Find out more information at peopleforpalmerpark.org

Sponsors: Presented by People for Palmer Park with the support of the City of Detroit's Recreation Dept. and General Services Dept., Knight Foundation/Community Foundation of SE Michigan, Hitachi, O'Brien Construction, Adamo Group, Quicken Loans, Mystic Kettle, and Swanson's Funeral Homes. Special thanks to Home Depot for a grant and volunteers that made it possible to build the PFPP Educational Garden.

People for Palmer Park, is a non-profit organization committed to the preservation, reinvention, and revitalization of Palmer Park, for the good of all. Palmer Park is comprised of 296 acres of lawns and historic woodlands, a public golf course, tennis courts, hiking and biking trails, Lake Frances, a historic log cabin, new Splash Park and playground, and more. Located between 6 and 7 Mile Roads and west of Woodward Avenue in Detroit, it has been a treasured nature park and recreation site for more than 100 years.