Kawartha Conservation’s inaugural Kawartha Fall Festival takes place from October 1 to 10 at Ken Reid Conservation Area at 277 Kenrei Road north of Lindsay.
The festival will feature a week of family-friendly activities, special guests, up-close animal encounters, birds of prey demonstrations, guided hikes, and more.
All activities are free, although some will require registration in advance due to limited space.
“We’re thrilled to be able to offer this wonderful event to our entire community and visitors,” says Kristie Virgoe, Kawartha Conservation’s director of stewardship and conservation lands, in a media release. “Autumn is such a beautiful time to visit our conservation areas and spend time in nature and we thought this would be a great way to celebrate the season with everyone.”
Throughout the festival, Kawartha Conservation staff and volunteers will also be collecting non-perishable food items for the Kawartha Lakes Food Source.
Kawartha Conservation decided to create a fall seasonal event for families at Ken Reid Conservation Area given the positive response to its annual Christmas at Ken Reid event, which returns on Saturday, December 3rd.
“We really wanted to create another seasonal event that would not only attract new visitors to Ken Reid Conservation Area, but create a regional destination that the entire Kawartha Lakes community will benefit from,” Virgoe explains.
“Kawartha Lakes has so much to offer visitors from the beautiful quaint towns and villages, shopping and dining experiences, and the amazing fall road driving tours. The Kawartha Fall Festival helps to support all of the best our communities have to offer.”
Here are the activities taking place during the festival.
Cultural Show and Tell Circle (Saturday, October 1 & Sunday, October 2)
Jake Charles from First Nation’s Cultural Tours will lead visitors in a “cultural show and tell” circle. Visitors will gather around a camp fire, learn about the importance of the drum, shakers, traditional clothing, and other crafts. Jake will also lead visitors in some traditional songs. This is an interactive show designed to build understanding between cultures.
Waterfowl Birding with Rob Stavinga (Saturday, October 1)
Kawartha Conservation’s watershed resources technician Rob Stavinga will lead a free fun and informative waterfowl birding guided hike from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Advance registration is required.
Amphibians and Reptiles with Scales Nature Park (Saturday, October 1)
Join Scales Nature Park for an engaging and educational hands-on reptile and amphibian experience from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Visitors will learn fun facts and information about amphibians and reptiles from Scales Nature Park staff, as well as have the opportunity to interact with several animals up-close during the second half of the program. This is a free event that does not require registration.
Music at the Park with Freddie Caveen and Edmund Stay (Saturday, October 1)
Bring a lawn chair and gather around the campfire at 7 p.m. at the Group Camb for some acoustic tunes by Freddie Caveen and Edmund Stay. Following the end of their performances, attendees are invited on stage for an open acoustic jam session to close off the event.
Explore the Night Sky with the Peterborough Astronomical Association (Saturday, October 1)
Members of the Peterborough Astronomical Association will take visitors on a free tour of the night sky, including Saturn, the first quarter moon, and deep space objects. All telescopes will be provided by the Peterborough Astronomical Association.
Birds of Prey Demonstration with Royal Canadian Falconry (Sunday, October 2)
Royal Canadian Falconry will provide a free educational, informative, and entertaining 90-minute birds of prey demonstration, beginning at noon near the former beach area. Visitors and their families will enjoy seeing six birds of prey and in-flight demonstrations.
Zoo to You Wildlife Display Show (Sunday, October 2)
Zoo to You will provide visitors with a opportunity to interact with a variety of animals up close (including reptiles, amphibians, and mammals) while sharing fun facts along the way. This free event takes place from 1:45 to 2:45 p.m.
Mushroom Walk with Jan Thornhill (Monday, October 3)
Join fungi expert Jan Thornhill for an exciting and informational mushroom walk amongst the forests of Ken Reid Conservation Area. From 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., participants will wander along the trails, stop to observe different types of mushrooms, learning fun facts about their characteristics and habitat along the way. This is a free event, but advance registration is required as space is limited.
Waterfowl Birding with Rob Stavinga (Tuesday, October 4)
Kawartha Conservation’s watershed resources technician Rob Stavinga will lead a free fun and informative waterfowl birding guided hike from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Advance registration is required.
Guided Nature Hike with Rebecca Pomeroy (Wednesday, October 5)
Join nature guide Rebecca Pomeroy for a refreshing and relaxing hike along the trails from 1 to 3 p.m. Participants will travel along the Cedar Loop and Point Loop trails, exploring and learning about various trees, plants, and fungi along the way. This is a free event, but advance registration is required as space is limited.
Storytime, Crafts, and Games with the Kawartha Lakes Public Library (Wednesday, October 5)
Join the Kawartha Lakes Public Library from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the the former beach and playground area for a nature-themed storytime, fall leaf headband craft, bubble machine, and more.
“Working with Invasives: Buckthorn” with Sustainable Roots Ecological Restoration Inc. (Thursday, October 6)
Join Sustainable Roots Ecological Restoration Inc. from 1 to 3 p.m. for an outdoor workshop that explores the characteristics and uses of Common Buckthorn, an invasive species in Ontario. The goal of this workshop is to guide participants towards connection with the natural world through stewardship and hands-on learning. This is a free event, but advance registration is required as space is limited.
Movie Night in the Park featuring “The Lorax” (Friday, October 7)
An outdoor screening of the popular children’s movie “The Lorax” from 7 to 8:45 p.m. Popcorn and hot chocolate will be offered for free at the event, and it is recommended that attendees bring their own foldable lawn chairs and blankets for the viewing.
For the remainder of the festival, from October 8 to 10, visitor to Ken Reid Conservation Area are encouraged to enjoy self-guided activities, The Talking Forest, and the Kawartha Quest Booklet.
A donation bin will be available throughout the festival to donate non-perishable food items for Kawartha Lakes Food Source.
For more information about the Kawartha Fall Festival, including updates on activities, visit kawarthaconservation.com/festivals.
This story has been updated with the most recent activities at the festival.
