Fall Festival!

[AmandaCarol]

So please forgive me if there is a post already like this, as I can not seem to find one!
Anyway. I am in the process of planning a small fall festival for an October program. So far we are having a few children's games- sack race, French & English, 3-legged race. We are also going to have a hay-ride if possible (we are gearing this toward the public).
My question is what other type of activities would have taken place in such a small community gathering?

Thanks!

[Ms. Jean]

Might be something here for you:

http://www.raggedsoldier.com/halloween.html


HTH,

Jean
Route 66

[mmescher]

Admittedly you are gearing the event to the public but a hayride is a modern "country" activity.  The period hayride would have been on top of a well-stacked wagonload of hay (unbaled) on its way to the barn.  I haven't seen three-legged races but I don't claim to have seen every activity book.

One activity that I've never seen done at a historic site which is documented is a wheelbarrow race.  To do that, you would need several period wheelbarrows which the contestants push to a goal and then back to the start or, if you have a creek, across a bridge spanning the creek.  Pretty simple except that the contestants are blindfolded.

I have seen sack races but the difference between period ones and modern races are that the sacks were long enough that they tied around the neck of the racer so only his head was sticking out.  Unfortunately, this would be a bit dangerous for spectators to do but maybe some participants could demonstrate the period race.

I'll check some of my books and contribute some other stuff later.

Michael Mescher

[Sue Leurgans]

One activity that I've never seen done at a historic site which is documented is a wheelbarrow race.  To do that, you would need several period wheelbarrows which the contestants push to a goal and then back to the start or, if you have a creek, across a bridge spanning the creek.  Pretty simple except that the contestants are blindfolded.

Do you think people on the sidelines were yelling directions to their favorite contender?

[Mother Dean]

I loving the wheelbarrow race idea as well as the sack race.
What are the dimensions on those sacks? Are they shut with twine or rope? And we are talking about burlap right?

I can definitely see the crowd shouting and laughing directions. 

[AmandaCarol]

Thank you for the replies!! If I can't find any documentation for the three-legged race I won't include it. I am not sure that we could get the wheel-barrows needed for a race, but it is a good idea!

 What about the egg on the spoon race? IDK what its called.