Sample harvest's bounty at Cider Fest in Union

Submitted by McHenry County Historical Society

The McHenry County Historical Society will open its museum and grounds at 6422 Main St., Union for its 34th annual Cider Festival on Sunday, Oct. 2. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features a variety of fall time activities.

Between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Charlie B and Friends entertain with polka and singalong music. The public is invited to bring lawn chairs. At 12:30 p.m., visitors can watch a traditional barn raising. Scouts and other children will enjoy making projects in West Harmony one-room school.

Two added features of this year's fest will be the extension of the special quilt displays and the addition of vintage motorized Whizzer bicycles that were popular between the late 1930s and early 1950s.

Beginning at 1 p.m. antique tractors from the McHenry County Antique Farm Equipment Association will provide a tractor parade through Union with tractor contests to follow out in front of the museum on Main Street.

Throughout the day there will be harvest demonstrations, cider making with the museum's hand-cranked press, an apple goodies bakery, and the museum open free to the public along with an 1843 log cabin and 1895 one-room school.

One new museum exhibit of special interest features the city of Harvard during the 1880s when the railroad industry made that community this county's largest city.

Inside the museum annex volunteers will be selling White Elephant items, used books and antique clothing. All proceeds benefit the not-for-profit historical society. Food including cider and kettle korn will be available for purchase.

For more information on this program or other activities of the McHenry County Historical Society, call (815) 923-2267 or check out website at mchsonline.org.