Patrons celebrate the coming of Fall season during Wagner Farm’s Fall Festival – Chicago Tribune

On many farms, the arrival of fall marks the end of the growing season, it’s a time for celebration of the autumn harvest, and at Historic Wagner Farm in Glenview they have created their own brand of seasonal celebration.

Saturday’s Fall Fest invited families to join a harvest party for all ages, to learn about farm life while taking part in some fun fall-inspired activities.

“Since making it through the pandemic with park closures, and then reopening with our 20th anniversary event last year, this season has really been about just getting people back on the farm,” Wagner Farm program manager, Kendra Strubhart said.

Historic Wagner Farm, according to the Glenview Park District website, is a living history museum and dairy farm that provides a unique opportunity for families to learn about “life on the farm” during early 20th century.

Strubhart says the festival included 1920′s farm-life interpreters doing demonstrations on farm tasks that would be done in preparation for winter, and other chores like teams of draft horses working to grind corn for cold weather animal feed.

Families participated in wagon rides, sack races, a straw bale maze, cow meet- and-greet and milking demonstrations, harvest story time, live musical entertainment by Cowboy Choir, and enjoyed old-fashioned treats like apple cider and popcorn.

Seasonal crafts for the kids included fall-themed face painting, rope-making, and leaf craft design.

Other activities highlighted the Wagner Farm farm to Table Food Program, offering seasonal cakes and breads for sale in the Heritage Center Gift Shop.

Sonia Ter Haar of Glenview attended Fall Fest with family.

“We come to the farm almost every very week, just to be able to see all the animals and to experience farm life, it’s like stepping back in time,” Ter Haar said.

Paid admission was required, for the afternoon event which ran from 2:00 to 6 p.m., with a $5.00 per person price or $7.00 payable at the door.

Amy McClory of Glenview attended Saturday with family.

“Along the North Shore our kids live in more of an urban environment, it’s educational and fun for them to learn more about where their food comes from, this farm access is really essential,” McClory said.

The Slater family of Highland Park visited Historic Wagner Farm for the first time on Saturday.

“It was an ideal way for us to spend one of the last Saturdays of summer, what better place for our family to be than here on the farm,” Brad Slater said.

Gina Grillo is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.