A popular fall tradition is returning to Essex County this weekend. The Harvest and Horses Festival takes place Sunday at the John R. Park Homestead, giving visitors a chance to experience autumn as it would have been in the 1850s. The event celebrates the area’s agricultural roots and the important role horses played in harvest activities for early settlers. Kris Ives is curator with John R. Park Homestead and says it’s one of the Homestead’s biggest events of the year and regularly draws large crowds. “This event celebrates all of our local traditions around harvest and agriculture, as well as the horses that made harvest possible 200 years ago when John and Amelia Park lived at this special place,” Ives said. Visitors can take part in cider pressing, sausage stuffing, seasonal crafts, pioneer demonstrations and traditional games throughout the day. She says the festival’s signature attraction is the Parade of Horses, showcasing a wide variety of breeds and demonstrations. “We’ll have approximately 20 horses on site, 15 or more breeds, and the parade happens at 1 p.m., but is repeated again at 3 p.m., and the horses are shown demonstrating some of their breed specific skills or attributes,” Ives said. Ives says visitors should plan ahead because the festival is expected to attract a large turnout. “We always recommend that people arrive early, are patient with our parking volunteers, and we also have parking off site at Priscilla’s Presents store on Iler Road, and we’re running a free, accessible shuttle all day to and from the site during the event,” she said. Admission is $8 for adults and $6 for children and seniors. A family pass for up to six people costs $30. The festival runs from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Sunday at the John R. Park Homestead in Essex.
