October 4, 1999 Grab the kids and head for the UCSC Harvest Festival on October 9 By Jennifer McNulty Shorter days and falling leaves are sure signs that autumn is on its way, and one of the annual highlights of the season is the UCSC Harvest Festival, a family-oriented day of fun that will take place this year on Saturday, October 9, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Crafts for kids, workshops, food, and music make up the annual Harvest Festival. Photo: Martha Brown The musical festivities begin at 11:30 a.m. when Dance Around Molly takes the stage to entertain with their authentic Irish tunes. They will be followed by Mariposa, a local folk group enjoyed by grown ups and kids alike, and then Later Alligator, playing lively Cajun music that's sure to have the crowd on its feet. Other highlights include crafts for the kids, workshops, tasty food, and tours of the UCSC Farm. (See detailed schedule) Ongoing activities for children include crafts, face painting, pumpkin decorating, gardening activities, and hayrides. Delicious food will be for sale, and fresh-squeezed apple juice will be available for tasting. In addition, fresh organic produce, including pumpkins, will be available for purchase, as will dried-flower wreaths and UCSC Friends of the Farm & Garden merchandise, including aprons, coffee mugs, and T-shirts. As always, gardeners will have a field day with opportunities to soak up information about native plants, seed saving, garden-fresh cooking, and the benefits chickens and turkeys offer home gardens. Local community organizations will have booths set up, and a display of rare-breed chickens and turkeys is bound to be a crowd pleaser. Admission to the festival is $3; admission is free for children 12 and under and members of the Friends of the UCSC Farm & Garden, which is cosponsoring the event with the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems. The Farm is located 1/4 mile up the gravel road above the Blacksmith Shop; free public parking is available across the street from the Blacksmith Shop in the Physical Plant parking lot. For more information about the festival, call (831) 459-3248. Return to Front Page