Homestead’s Harvest Moon – An Encounter with Darkness

Darkness is the final frontier. As the days get shorter, we tend to stay indoors and shirk away from the dark. People in the 19th century were much more familiar with the grey days and dark nights of autumn and had adapted to a life with limited light sources. At the Harvest Moon evening program at the John R. Park Homestead on Oct. 21, the homestead invites visitors to get outside and encounter life in the dark.

"Don't hide inside because the days are getting shorter," encourages Curator Janet Cobban. "There are ways to work in the dark, to enjoy the fall season and celebrate shorter days." Costumed guides will be leading a candle-light tour of the pioneer farm as guests will be making their own masquerade faces to take home. Follow the guides into the orchard after dark to collect wind fall apples, participate in cider pressing, apple drying and more. Participants will also enjoy a drink of hot cider from the cauldron, and will listen to chilling ghost stories in the dark of the 1842 parlour. Cobban adds, "Exploring the Homestead after dark is a true time-travel experience."

Admission is $12 per person, advance registration is necessary and no pre-school children will be admitted.

Register online at: www.onlineregistrations.ca/jrph . Spaces are limited. For more information, call: 519-738-2029 or visit the website at: www.erca.org.