Wood Dale's Harvest Fest celebrates farm life

Time travel has its challenges - and its rewards.

Organizers of this year's Harvest Fest in Wood Dale said they hope visitors won't let nearby construction zones dissuade them from joining in the annual fall celebration set for Sunday, Sept. 11, at Yesterday's Farm Museum.

The festival, presented each autumn since 1972, offers games, food, children's entertainment and crafts. Visitors also may explore the farm's buildings, said Judith Ryan, of the Wood Dale Historical Society.

Ryan said the site is home to a farmhouse built in 1921, a prairie house dated to the 1840s and a carriage house and barn built in the 1850s.

"Our museum has three floors of all kinds of stuff. It's a very eclectic thing," Ryan said. "We have a couple wagons we use in hay rides."

The day's events will include a spinning wheel demonstration, pony rides and a petting zoo.

"Suzette, 'The Balloon Lady,' will make balloon animals," Ryan said.

While Harvest Fest admission is free, there is a charge for food and pony rides, she said. About 15 crafters will offer their handcrafted items for sale.

In keeping with the theme of revisiting the latter half of the 19th century, Harvest Fest also will present educational talks and demonstrations, courtesy of several Civil War re-enactor groups.

Taylor's Battery, also known as the First Illinois Light Artillery Company B, will bring a replica Civil War cannon.

"Our role at Harvest Fest is to bring a bit of history to life," said Taylor's Battery member Karen Capen of Island Lake. "We actually represent real people from the Civil War."

Capen said the cannon will be fired, but no cannon balls will be used, just gunpowder.

"We will be firing once an hour on the hour, every hour. It makes a nice big boom," she said. "It's a 10-pound parrot cannon. We use actual black powder they would have used in the day."

Capen said she has been a member of Taylor's Battery for eight or nine years.

"We're one of the few Civil War artillery groups that allow women as members," she said.

Capen said Civil War-era women, who were not officially recognized as military personnel, sometimes disguised themselves as men to participate in the war, even in combat situations.

Capen said she will be part of a group of six to eight Taylor's Battery members on hand at Harvest Fest.

"Part of our mission is to educate people," she said. "I learned more about the Civil War re-enacting than I would ever learn in school."

If you go

What: Harvest Fest

When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11

Where: Yesterday's Farm Museum, 850 N. Wood Dale Road, Wood Dale

Admission: Free

Info: (630) 595-0360 or facebook.com/wooddale.historical.society