Turner's Creek And Sassafrass NRMA To Host Fall Festival

Annapolis, Md. (October 25, 2010) — The Maryland Park Service, Kent County Parks and Recreation and the Kent Museum will hold a Fall Festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 30 to celebrate autumn along the Sassafras River. The event will take place at Turner’s Creek landing, the Kent Museum grounds and historic Knocks Folly, part of the Sassafras Natural Resources Management Area (NRMA) in Kent County.

A great way to enjoy the change of the seasons, the fall festival will feature traditional fall activities such as hayrides, pumpkin decorating, fishing competitions, games, food and more. Kent County Parks and Recreation staff will be on hand to help children design and create their own scarecrows to take home to decorate their homes and yards (families should bring old clothes and pantyhose for the scarecrows). Volunteers from the Kent Museum will also be on site making apple cider and displaying pieces from their extensive collection of antique farm equipment.

The Fall Festival will also be the first opportunity for the general public to access Knocks Folly. Commencing with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 12 p.m., visitors will then be allowed to explore the Folly’s interior and enjoy displays and informational panels on the history of the area. The historic mid-eighteenth century log home with a three-story, Federal brick wing, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, will serve as a visitors center for the Turner’s Creek county park and the 1,000-acre Sassafras NRMA, and will be open on weekends from May through mid-November. The Knocks Folly Visitors Center will feature displays and information on the area’s diverse natural history, as well as its important role in colonial history of the upper Eastern Shore.

The Maryland Park Service’s Scales and Tales program will entertain crowds near Knocks Folly with a variety of games and displays. Local clubs and non-profit groups will also be on hand with displays and activities. There is still space available for interested groups that would like to set up exhibits or sell food during the event.

For more information about the Fall Festival or directions to Sassafras NRMA, contact the local Maryland Park Service Park office at (410) 820-1668.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 461,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries, and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic, and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov