October 7, 2002

An eight-acre corn maze, live entertainment, hayrides, pumpkin picking and painting, puppet shows, pony rides, and more await visitors of all ages at the Annual Fall Festival at the 4-H Center at Auer Farm in Bloomfield on Sunday, Oct. 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In addition to welcoming the autumn harvest, 4-H will celebrate its 100th anniversary with cake and UConn ice cream.

Donald Sineti will be on hand to sing traditional folk and sea shanties; Cowboy Carl will entertain with children's songs and games; and musician Doug Hardy will sing folk songs.

There will be puppet shows by the UConn Puppet Arts Program, and Carl Salsedo, a UConn Extension Educator from CPTV's Gardening With Nature, will offer gardening tips.

Visitors can watch demonstrations of ice cream being made, sip homemade cider, see the farm animals, or take a hayride over three miles of farm roads. Connecticut-grown products will be available for purchase at concession booths, and products grown on the farm will be sold at the farm store.

Admission is free; there is a charge for the corn maze, pumpkins, hayride, and pony rides. Proceeds will support 4-H Center education programs.

Located at 158 Auer Farm Road off Simsbury Road (Route 185), the farm is operated in partnership with the University's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The festival, which is co-sponsored by The Hartford and the University of Connecticut, will be held rain or shine. For information call: 860.242.7144, ext. 10.