FAIRFIELD COUNTY – As summer ends and fall approaches, there are many ways to have a good time in Fairfield County. Whether with family, friends or alone, there is sure to be an activity for you.
The first thing that comes to mind for Visit Fairfield County Executive Director Jonett Haberfield is the Trail of Scarecrows. Running throughout October, the Trail of Scarecrows is a self-guided tour of the county to spot more than 300 scarecrows in 14 towns.
Community members can build a scarecrow and give it a name. People can then vote for their favorites in each community, and the winners will receive a $50 VISA gift card.
Haberfield said one of the main attractions of the Trail of Scarecrows is the opportunity for people to visit other communities.
“Meanwhile, a lot of people drive around and look at the scarecrows and vote for their favorite and look at the other communities in the county that they may not have been to in a while or have never been,” Haberfield said. “We get many, many, many visitors from outside the county coming in to do the same.”
“It’s free and it’s easy and it’s fun.” said Haberfield.
In addition to the Trail of Scarecrows, the Fairfield County Fair also attracts many visitors to the area. The Fairfield County Fair takes place at the fairgrounds from October 9th to 15th and is the last fair of the year in the state.
“It’s very popular for that very reason, because it’s the last place people can go on rides and get fair food,” Haberfield said.
While part of its popularity is due to being the last fair of the year, the Fairfield County Fair is also unique because of the location of the fairgrounds.
“It’s pretty unusual to have a fairground in the middle of a city,” Haberfield said. “We’re lucky in that regard, you know, we have a beautiful fairground right here in the middle of Lancaster and it’s right under Mount Pleasant. So you know, with the trees and everything, it’s just a great place in the beginning of October.”
The Trail of Scarecrows and the Fairfield County Fair may be headline fall events in the area, but they’re by no means the level of fun to be had. Many other events such as apple picking and haunted houses take place in Fairfield County during the fall.
These additional events include multiple opportunities to pick pumpkins, including Jamey’s Pumpkin Patch, Pumpkin To Talk About, and Sam’s Pumpkin Patch.
This weekend is Frontier Spirit 1799, a step into the past that people of all ages can take part in. On September 24th and 25th from 10:00am to 5:00pm in Alley Park, this tent village depicts the life of the early settlers. With cooking demonstrations, soap making and more, plus musical performances and speeches by local dignitaries, this free event makes for a fun family outing.
Also this weekend is the Harvest Celebration at Smeck Park in Baltimore. At this event, members of the Fairfield County Antique Tractor Club can be seen bringing in crops with early farm machinery. Harvest celebration attendees can husk corn, pick potatoes from the ground, and more.
To showcase all upcoming fall-related events, Visit Fairfield County has promoted The Autumn Experience, a comprehensive list of everything to do from apple picking to haunted houses. The Fall Experience can be found at www.visitfairfieldcounty.org.
