Photos by Joy Swensen

The Golden Harvest Festival took place Sept. 7 and 8 at Beaver Lake Nature Center in Lysander. Now in its 42nd year, this old-fashioned, country fair-style event features hands-on nature activities, horse-drawn hayrides, canoeing, fresh doughnuts, live animal demonstrations, unique games, and an eclectic mix of live music and entertainment. Audience participation has long been a mainstay of the program as visitors serve as both contestants and judges in the signature living scarecrow, wild critter call and pie-eating contests.