Shaker Village Harvest Festival is Oct. 7

NEW GLOUCESTER — Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village will host its annual, family friendly Harvest Festival Saturday, Oct. 7, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the historic site located at at 707 Shaker Road (Route 26).
The day will feature free barn tours by Brother Arnold Hadd, free wagon rides, and other special activities. Freshly-picked apples from the landmark Shaker orchards will be offered for sale along with cider-pressing of Shaker apples, homemade Shaker apple crisp, homemade barbecue dinner plates, and much more.

Live Bluegrass music by Albert Price and the Pseudonyms will entertain visitors, and Chipman’s Farm — neighbors to the Shakers since the 1790s — will have a fresh bounty of seasonal produce for sale, along with preserves and baked goods. Maple syrup and maple candy will be sold by Passamaquoddy Maple from Jackman. Seasonal mums, other late-season “bloomers” and houseplants will be available from Donna’s Greenhouse.
Free, traditional craft demonstrations include Shaker-style broom-making by Kent Ruesswick; wool carding, spinning, knitting and weaving by the R&R Spinners; rug-hooking by Parris House Wool Works; blacksmithing by Tim Greene; weaving by Marjie Thompson; wood-turning by Peter Asselyn; and woodcarving by the Poland Woodcarvers. There will be book signings by Don Perkins — “_The Barns of Maine” –_ and Chris Becksvoort’s “_The Shaker Legacy._” Native American artists and crafters, including Lightning Hawk Creations and dolls by Wendy Hamilton are also part of the fun. Free wagon rides will be offered throughout the day, as well as free face painting for kids, along with free gourd decorating Rain or shine, all activities will be in the Shakers’ historic 1830 barns. The museum is open for tours as well as the Shaker Store and museum gift shop.

Also on the activity menu are free nature walks at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. On these two-hour guided hikes through the Shakers’ land, participants will learn about the indigenous species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, plants, trees, and fungi occupying the many, diverse habitats of Shaker Village. See evidence of glacial and geological forces that formed the land and watershed, including Sabbathday Lake from Loon’s Point and the hidden treasure of Aurelia’s Cascade. The hike through hayfields, forest land, and century-old logging trails will include insights to the Shakers’ 200 years of land use and management. Because space is limited, preregistration is encouraged; call 207-926-4597 or visit www.maineshakers.com/workshops
For more information, please contact 207-926-4597, info@maineshakers.com, www.maineshakers.com, or follow on Facebook www.facebook.com/SabbathdayLakeShakerVillage