Halloween Harvest Moon Festival at Dakota City

Throughout the year, Dakota City, located next to the Dakota County Fairgrounds at Farmington, Minnesota, offers a number of fun events that take visitors back to the past.
On Friday and Saturday. October 21-22, from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM volunteers were present at Dakota City demonstrating all sorts of Harvest activities.

Potato stamping-carve a potato, dip it in ink, and you have a stamp.

Making a pin wheel. The kids love to see them turn in the wind.

Shelling and grinding corn.

 Making rope.

 Walking on stilts.

 Pumping water. 

Wheel rolling

 More walking on stilts.

Hanging out laundry

 visiting an old-fashioned candy store.

 Making candles.

 Washing clothes with a ringer washing machine.

After dark the area becomes really fun because the children are taken on rides around the village and through a neighboring field as spooks of all kinds appear from nowhere to scare and delight everyone.

During all this time, Nancy and I were selling our books and sweatshirts in part of the storage building, which is located next to the Blacksmith Shop and across the street from the Print Shop. 

The building is nice and cozy inside. Nancy poses for me as I snap a picture of her by our display.

Outside of the building, we display our signs.

We had fun visiting with all the kids and adults who stopped by to chat.

Sometimes Nancy could break away to snap a photo of me doing what I  most like to do-autograph books for friendly customers.

We gratefully thank the people at Dakota Heritage for allowing us to use the space. Everyone involved with the organization is very kind and works hard to make every show a success. 

We hope to see you all at "Christmas In The Village" on December 3-4 and 10-11. The lights will be on and the village will be filled with an atmosphere of an old-fashioned Christmas. See you then.

Photographs by Nancy A. Fredrickson