INNISFAIL – There was plenty of fun to be had during the Fall Family Festival at The Jungle Farm.
The annual event took place on Sept. 29.
“This festival has been on for about 15 years,” said Leona Staples, co-owner of The Jungle Farm.
The one-day event included pumpkins, food, music, tractor rides, a corn maze and several vendors as part of a fall market.
“We have a live musician from Red Deer, we’ve got the homegrown market,” said Staples, noting about 23 vendors from across Central Alberta, including Calgary, Lacombe, Penhold and Rocky Mountain House, attended the event. “We also have the first Penhold Girl Guides selling their cookies here. We have lots of pumpkins and we have a professional photographer here taking photos of families.”
A new feature to the festival this year included a corn maze creation honouring the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer.
“Our corn maze was done by a company in the States. We gave them the idea and they came up with a maze pattern,” explained Staples. “The Canada Winter Games (committee) approved the pattern because it’s using their logos.”
The corn maze design included Waskasoo, the 2019 Canada Winter Games mascot, the words Red Deer Canada Games, and had a maple leaf included.
Waskasoo the mascot also made an appearance at the event.
“This year the corn maze was planted (in May) with the maze design in the planting (process),” she added.
Staples said it’s been a difficult month for outdoor activities, noting early snow and colder temperatures. Saturday’s partially sunny skies were a welcome change, she said.
“I think people are just tired of being inside. I think they came dressed, ready to go and have a good time outside,” she said.
Kelly Hornung of Red Deer was a first-time visitor to the festival and the farm.
“It’s a lot of fun,” said Hornung. “We’re really excited to explore the area (and the farm). We’re seeing some really fun activities for the kids.”
Sandy Streit of Innisfail makes the Fall Family Festival an annual tradition with her family.
“We love it. It’s fun for the kids,” said Streit. “The kids can just run and play and have a ball.”
The Jungle Farm is open every weekend until the end of October.
For more information, visit The Jungle Farm on Facebook.
