Gore Mountain Harvest Fest
Gore Mountain Gondola Ride
By Diane Chase, author of Adirondack Family Time Tri-Lakes and High Peaks: Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities (covering Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake, Wilmington, Keene, Jay)

I know, another festival. I do wonder though how many children really know about the origin of a harvest festival?  Since my children are not required to work the field and therefore do not require a celebration from such backbreaking work, their idea of the harvest is face painting and jugglers. The only items my children harvest are the occasional pumpkin or basket of apples on a school field trip.

The canning that takes place in our household is not because of an overabundance of food but because it's fun to do. There is only so much container space for fresh produce so we also aren't squirreling anything away for winter.

At one time the Adirondack Great Camps were self sufficient with kitchen gardens and farms and the workers stocked their own root cellars with produce to fill their bellies through the dead of winter. There was the need for that seasonal celebration that culminated a successful crop.

Gore Harvest Fest Hay Maze
Gore Harvest Fest Hay Maze and Bounce House

Traditionally the Harvest Festival would take place on the Sunday nearest the Harvest Moon, which is the full moon closest to the autumn equinox, September 23. Farmers would use the full moon to be able to reap their crops late into the night. This year the Harvest Moon was September 12.

This weekend Gore Mountain will celebrate the change in seasons with the annual Harvest Fest (October 8-10 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.) There will be live music, vendors, straw maze, pony rides, bounce houses and even clowns. There will also be a children's nature hike. This event is free and open to the public. Some activities are pay as you play.

For those looking for a bargain and upgrading your ski equipment check out the Great North Creek Ski Sale at "The Bowl." You'll be able to get a pre-ski season bargain whether you plan on spending your time on the slopes of Whiteface or Gore! 

If there is still time in the day after eating all the fresh food and participating in the activities take a gondola ride to the top of Bear Mountain for a fee.

Adirondack Family Time Book Cover
Adirondack Family Time guidebook to over 300 Activities for Lake Placid, Saranac Lake and High Peaks

There are still harvests and there are still plenty of reasons to celebrate this glorious change of season, whether you are harvesting your own crops or reaping the benefits of others. For us any festival is another opportunity to celebrate the change of season as a family. 

If you are in Lake Placid this weekend, please stop by The Bookstore Plus on October 8. I will be there for a book signing from 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. There will be free coloring and activity sheets as well as a knot-tying activity. I hope to see you there.

© Diane Chase, author of Adirondack Family Time: Tri-Lakes and High Peaks (Your Four-Season Guide to Over 300 Activities) for the towns of Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Jay/Upper Jay, Wilmington, Keene/Keene Valley which is available online or bookstores/museums/sporting good stores. Diane is currently working on the second guidebook in the four-book series of Adirondack Family Activities.