With fall finally beginning, Fall Fest at Harnischfeger Park is just around the corner and Friends of Dodge County Parks are excited for their 20th annual fest. Visit the park on Sept. 26 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m for free family fun.
Growing throughout the years, the fundraising event is set to be bigger than ever on the 132 acre park.
Educational activities for the kids will be offered including bee keeping, games, demonstrations of past farming techniques and a Thomas the Train. Keeping the event geared towards families is a huge priority.
President of the Friends of Dodge County Parks, Glenn Daily, said, “We do not charge anything to get into the event and we do not charge anything to park for the event. We try to make this as family affordable as possible.”
They will be accepting donations throughout the park but it is not required to donate, only suggested. This is their largest fundraiser and has provided them with funds to complete several projects in the past. $45,000 was raised to help maintain a barn on the property. Much of that came from previous Fall Fest donations.
In addition to donating, there is a silent auction and bucket raffle at the event.
Pancake breakfast will start at 8 a.m. and last until 11 a.m. For people 12 and above is $12, for kids five to 12 it is $6 and for kids under four the breakfast is free.
Live music will play throughout the event, on the South end it will play from noon to 3 p.m. and on the North from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Throughout the whole park, tractor wagon rides will be available for those looking to visit the whole 132 acres.
“At each stop, we have a wagon host that will announce everything that can be seen at that stop. We encourage people to get off and see everything that there is to see,” Daily mentioned. But don’t worry about missing the tractor if you do get off, another one will come shortly in about 15 to 20 minutes. A map is also available for those wanting to walk.
Weather permitting, for the first year ever there may be a model airplane club that will fly lightweight aircraft controlled demos. This is a rain or shine event and indoor activities will be available if the weather is crummy.
History
Previously the big fundraiser for Friends of Dodge County Parks was Winter Fest. That was initially started to raise a $200,000 shortfall to get a resolution to the county board to purchase a park. After they did that, they continued to raise money for other park projects in the county.
In 2005, just two years into Winter Fest, they moved it to the fall so the weather was more predictable.
“Its great to raise funds for the park, but I also want to have a family friendly event in the fall where you don’t have to rely so much on weather as you do in February when it can be sub-zero,” Daily said.
In Harnischfeger Park it wasn’t originally about raising money, it was about getting people excited about the park itself.
Throughout the years Fall Fest developed into something larger. Local farmers and vintage farm equipment enthusiasts brought some old machines to show off, they harvest potatoes and most recently, they will have an Amish village.
Daily and his family have a special connection with Harnischfeger Park. Not only does he live across from the park, but he worked there for 35 years. Many of his family members also worked at the park. His father worked for 38 years and his grandfather for 28.
Additionally, he was on the board that sold the park to Dodge County.
“I just feel so good that we’ve accomplished so much, we’ve done so much good for the park as the Friends of Dodge County Parks and as our core group of volunteers. We call ourselves the Friends of Harnischfeger Park,” Daily said.
Activities on the North
The north end of the park has several family friendly activities to pick from.
Free activities are a rope making demo, corn cob dart making, antique tractor/farm equipment displays, vintage potato harvesting, vintage corn biding, oat threshing and corn shedding demos, retriever dog demonstrations, bee keeping educational display and the North Barn Museum open house.
For the potato picking, bags will be provided. Participants are not allowed to bring their own bags.
For purchase there will be Amish vendors with mum plants, produce, candy, baked goods, canned and dry goods and ice cream. Concessions from the Amish and blacksmith demos and art sales are also on the north end.
Activities on the South
On the south end of the park there will be many activities to choose from. Free activities include mini golf, GAGA ball, barn yard Tic Tac Toe, kids straw fort, treasure hunt and Darrell and Rebecca’s Vintage Small Engine Equipment Displays and Demos.
Available for purchase will be the Ashippun Lion’s concessions, baked goods, honey, blacksmith demos and art sales, the bucket raffle and the silent auction.
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