LUCAS — Malabar Farm State Park celebrates its history this weekend with the 43rd annual Ohio Heritage Days Festival.
The two-day event invites guests to take a trip back in with horse-drawn cart rides, an antique and primitives show and a Civil War and 18th century living history camp.
On Saturday morning, shortly after the event opened, a line had already formed for the horse-drawn cart rides. Others walked through the living history camps, where they could interact with people dressed in authentic 18th-century costumes.
One of the actors manned a booth with furniture on display. He explained how one of the items — a small small stool with a tall back — might have doubled as a time-out chair for small children.
A few tents down, another sat near a fire. He took a bite of what he said was opossum meat. And when a small boy ventured towards him, he offered him a piece. The boy retreated quickly despite his parents’ encouragement to “give it a try.”
Further up the hill, other families visited the barns of cows, goats and horses.
After feeding a goat a small handful of grass, Blakely Davis, 2, of Ontario was convinced her family should get one. Her mother Hannah Davis, asked, “Do you think it’d get along with the dog?” And Blakely shook her head up and down to say yes.
“We’ve been here before. She came last year, but is more interactive this year,” Hannah said.
Another youngster, 15-month-old Lillian Desai, was also intrigued by the animals, especially the cows.
“It’s her first time here, and her first time seeing cows,” said her mother Christine Shepard-Desai of Akron. “She’s only seen them in books.”
The real-life cows almost immediately seemed to win Lillian’s approval. She cautiously observed them at first, but as a large brown and white one approached the fence, the small girl smiled and stretched further forward in her stroller as if to get a better view.
The Heritage Days Festival continues into Sunday, Sept. 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Archaeological displays will be presented on Sunday only.
The event is free, but guests are encouraged to bring cash, as some vendors may not accept credit cards or checks.
