ORIENT – Celebrate Iowa’s abundant harvest during a fall festival Saturday and Sunday at the Country Life Center, 2773 290th St., in Orient. Wander through a prairie maze, tour the gardens and paint a pumpkin to take home. Live music, games and artist demonstrations will keep the whole family entertained. Crafts, food and produce will be for sale, with lunch available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
From 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, children’s book author, singer, songwriter and visual artist Chad Elliot of Panora will sign “Wilderman’s Treetop Tales,” a book for children ages 3 – 10 and perform songs from a companion music album of the same name. A seasoned musician, Elliot has appeared on Iowa Public Radio’s Java Blend, composed and performed music for several IPTV documentaries and won prestigious awards such as the Woody Guthrie Song Contest.
Fall festival hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, rain or shine. Admission is $10 per carload. Call 641-337-5019 for lunch reservations or for more information.
The Country Life Center is part of The Wallace Centers of Iowa, a nonprofit dedicated to enriching community through sustainable food and civility programs. A second site is located at the Wallace House in Des Moines. Together, the two locations manage two historic sites, provide educational programs and community services, produce more than 40 varieties of fruits and vegetables and offer locally sourced lunches and dinners.