This year marks the 30th annual Fall Festival hosted by the Connecticut Antique Machinery Association on 31 Kent Cornwall Rd. in Kent on September 26, 27 and 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This event features special demonstrations, vendors and food along with the many permanent exhibits of the Association that includes Industrial Hall, a mining museum, a tractor hall, a narrow gage working railroad and the Cream Hill Agricultural School.
Highlights of this event include an American #1 sawmill with plenty of logs to be cut into planks.There will be demonstrations throughout the weekend of the sawmill, as well as other wood handling machinery including an antique planer, a splitter, and maybe even a drag saw.
Another popular spot is the blacksmith's shop headed up by Skip Kern who will be showing visitors the art of blacksmithing. In the Industrial Hall of Steam, Conrad Milster will be giving talks and live demonstrations of various antique steam engines. The Association hopes to see their Nagle-Corliss engine in operation for this show. A highlight in Industrial Hall is the Associations newest acquisition, a very early (possibly Ames) engine, on loan from the New York Hall of Science.
In the Industrial Hall of Steam, Conrad Milster will be giving talks and live demonstrations of the Association's various antique steam engines. The Association hopes to see their Nagle-Corliss engine in operation for this show. Visitors will also see the Association's newest acquisition, a very early (possibly Ames) engine, that came to them in beautiful condition, on loan from the New York Hall of Science.
There will be Lumber Jack/Jill demonstrations on Saturday and Sunday of the Festival, featuring Shannon Strong, a well-known local fitness trainer and Lumber Jill. The show will feature demonstrations of handsaw and ax skills and is always very entertaining. Shannon is also a personal trainer, strength trainer, specializing in core training, and mind-body fitness. Demonstration times will be announced at the show.
Don't miss the Friday evening spaghetti w/meatballs and sausage. There's a limited number of tickets available, so buy them in advance at the food pavilion. The dinner is from 5:30 to 7:00 PM and will be held at the picnic pavilion unless inclement weather forces it inside the Industrial Hall. Tickets are $10 per person. Menu includes spaghetti with meatballs and sausage, salad, Italian bread, soft drinks, coffee and dessert. All proceeds benefit the Connecticut Antique Machinery Association.
Parking is free in the lower
parking field and a free shuttle bus will bring you to the main gate.