Travel back to the 1880s at Spring Valley's Autumn Harvest Fest

Posted October 01, 2015 1:00 am

Submitted by Schaumburg Park District

The Autumn Harvest Festival, sponsored by Whole Foods Market and Davey Tree, will take visitors back in time to an 1880s working farm from noon to 5 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 4, at Spring Valley's Volkening Heritage Farm and Merkle Cabin, 201 S. Plum Grove Road, in Schaumburg.

"This is Spring Valley's largest and most popular event that celebrates local history with food, crafts, games, wagon rides, music and more," said Dave Brooks, manager of conservation services at Spring Valley. "The Autumn Harvest Festival is great for new visitors to get an introduction into the historical aspect of Spring Valley's events."

Visitors will experience hands-on demonstrations of frontier-era farm life including cider pressing, blacksmithing and grain threshing. At Merkle Cabin, visitors will explore a frontier camp to taste food cooked over an open fire and see inside a Native American wigwam. Children's crafts will be available throughout the day. Participants will be invited to help with farm chores and harvesting.

Cost is $5 per person and $20 per family of six or fewer. Additional members are $5 each. Children ages 3 and younger are free.

Parking is available at Spring Valley Nature Center, 1111 E. Schaumburg Road, and across from Heritage Farm, 201 S. Plum Grove Road.

For information, call (847) 985-2100 or visit www.parkfun.com.

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