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By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE | Special to the Reporter

PELHAM – Oak Mountain State Park’s Harvest Festival returns for its ninth year on Saturday, Oct. 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Guests are invited to celebrate fall and welcome the autumn colors at the park. According to Anna Jones, event coordinator at Oak Mountain State Park, crowds range from around 2,000 to 3,000 throughout the day.

“We look forward to Oak Mountain State Park’s Harvest Festival every year,” Jones said. “It’s a wonderful event that brings our community together to celebrate the change of season. It’s a full day packed with fun that is open to everyone.”

Activities will include hay rides, bounce houses and inflatables, pony rides, local vendors and artists, food trucks, fall crafts, a balloon artist, fishing clinic for kids, scavenger hunt and a guided hike around the lake trail.

Several of the entities inside the park will be on hand with animals and birds. The Oak Mountain Interpretive Center will have its education ambassadors in attendance including snakes, turtles and other native residents of Oak Mountain State Park.

The Alabama Wildlife Center will be at the festival from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a variety of its glove-trained educational raptor birds of prey for attendees to meet and learn about the importance of supporting wildlife rehabilitation.

The Rusted Roof Barn will have some of its Rescue Horses at the festival for children ages three to 12 to ride for $5 (cash only) from 9:45 a.m. to 2 p.m.

There are many other things to do while inside the park, including visiting the playground, hiking and biking trails, the archery range, an 18-hole golf course, Flipside Marina, fishing, BMX bike track and camping.

There is no admission to the festival, but regular park entrance fees apply. Ages three and under are free, ages four to 11: $2 each, ages 12 to 61: $5 each and ages 62 and up are $2 each. Military and veterans get in for free. Annual park passes are valid for this event.