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Homestead celebrates annual fall festival with large turnout

Writer's picture: Fred GrovesFred Groves
Alexa Stevanka was a crowd pleaser on Sunday getting her Mustang to smile.
Alexa Stevanka was a crowd pleaser on Sunday getting her Mustang to smile.

A thousand visitors came to the John R. Park Homestead last Sunday afternoon to once again celebrate the harvest season and a parade of horses.


Nestled alongside the shores of Lake Erie in Essex just east of Colchester, the historic site which is owned and operated by the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA), allows everyone of all ages to step back into time and experience rural life in the 1850’s.


The annual Harvest and Horses Festival has been a fall tradition for 26 years and for a few, it was a chance to strut their stuff for the first time in front of a large audience.


Anita Leschied of Woodslee is the past ring announcer at the event and this year brought cart horse Dottie. 


When asked how she expected Dottie to perform, Leschied said, “it will depend on her. If she is good, we might make two laps. This is her first show off the farm.”


Dottie and about 20 other four-legged friends did not disappoint and although there was a plethora of hands-on-activities to do, the horses stole the show. 


In front of the historic house, a ring was set up where this year’s announcer Gary Nelson gave a great commentary.


“In the past, these were two separate events,” said curator Kris Ives about the harvest and the horses. “At the harvest event, we would talk about the horses.”


The reason for that is that they played such a vital role in the 1850’s not only for transportation but were the mainstay in agriculture production.


“People used them for everyday life on the family life. They were very important,” added Ives.


Besides Dottie pulling the cart, another first-timer was Sully, a sleek-looking two-year old who came to his first show and looked like a champion along with his pasture mate a sturdy Haflinger.


During this year’s Harvest and Horses Festival, everyone who attended was given an opportunity to vote for their favourite. 


While it was close, the winner was an interesting looking Gypsy Vanner named Merlin.


“They are getting more popular; there are more in this area now,” said Jessie Ramsey of Kingsville who proudly showed the eight-year-old Merlin.


This year’s event included many vendors and displays with costumed interpreters who demonstrated sausage-stuffing, blacksmithing, sawmill demonstrations and weaving.


Besides the large turnout during the great weather last Sunday afternoon, the best news passed along is that  after lengthy restoration and construction, the house will be open to the general public Dec. 1.


Christmas in the County and the annual Holiday Makers Market goes that day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and there are a couple of important events before that including the Friends’ Christmas Decorating Bee and Potluck Lunch and annual general meeting (AGM) Nov. 23 and later the same day the popular Wreath Making Workshop.


For more information, contact the John R. Park Homestead at 519-738-2029.

Homestead celebrates annual fall festival with large turnout

By Fred Groves

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