Scarecrows, pumpkins and fall fun

Staff Reports

Celebrate the fall season with Carson Valley events that include pumpkins, scarecrows and haunted cemeteries.

n Children can make their own scarecrows and have their faces painted at East Fork Gallery's 24th annual Scarecrow Festival, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in Minden Park.

Scarecrow-making kits are $10 and preassembled scarecrows will be on sale from $16 to $25. Information at the East Fork Gallery, 1503 Highway 395, Gardnerville, 782-7629.

n The Fall Festival & Pumpkin Patch is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, at the Lampe Park pavilion in Gardnerville. The 13th annual event is sponsored by the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension's 4-H program, Douglas County Parks & Recreation Department and Joe Benigno's Tree Service.

The event features a costume contest at noon, fun run, food, youth mountain bike raffle, silent auction, face painting, petting zoo, cakewalk and carnival games. Smokey Bear will visit and martial artists and gymnastics groups will perform demonstrations. A child safety seat inspection, child fingerprinting and K-9 unit demonstration will be sponsored by Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

Admission is free. There are nominal fees for food, pumpkins and some activities. Information, at the extension office, 782-9960.

n Historic Carson Valley characters represented by Laurie and Shannon Hickey who tell their stories at Senior-Student Day, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday at the Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center, 1477 Highway 395, Gardnerville. The program is in anticipation of the Douglas County Historical Society's Haunted Weekend on Oct. 24-26.

Seniors, students and a required accompanying adult admitted free to the museum and presentation every first Saturday of the month. Tours by costumed guides at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Information, 782-2555.

n The Corley Ranch invites students to participate in the 2008 Harvest Festival School Days Educational Tours.

For $5 per student, classes receive a tour of the ranch's corn maze and pumpkin patch, view a short film on how pumpkins grow and learn about 18 varieties of pumpkins, corn, melons, gourds, sunflowers and winter squash.

Students pick their own pumpkins, and dig potatoes for French fries. There will also be farm animals.

Student tours are 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. during October weekdays.

The Harvest Festival is open on weekends in October. The Corley Ranch south of Gardnerville is on Highway 395. For information or reservations, call (775) 721-1047.