From noon to five on October 3rd, families, friends, and neighbors filled the farm for a free afternoon of hayrides, live music, local food, and plenty of fun in between. This year’s Fall Fest was a special one. South Mountain Creamery turned 25, and after a quarter century of glass-bottled milk, home delivery, ice cream, and butter, we wanted to open the farm even wider to say thank you. That meant free admission, free parking, free hayrides, free tours, and a whole lot of fun with the community.
Fun for Every Age
The hayrides were a fan favorite, and the petting zoo had a steady line of little ones (and a lot of grown-ups who weren’t ready to leave). Kids and pets also showed off their best looks in the costume contest, and the hay bale photo booth produced some seriously good fall family photos.
The inflatable obstacle course kept the kids busy all afternoon, and over on Machinery Row, they got to climb on and interact with our tractors and equipment up close. Families enjoyed the cornhole boards and yard games with picnic benches, grassy spots, and plenty of lawn chairs and blankets around.
Our all day live music came from Shade Tree Collective, and they were a perfect fit for the farm. The band’s sound is rooted in Maryland and stretches across the mid-Atlantic, with musicians and influences from all over the region.
A Look Behind the Scenes
One of our favorite parts of any event is getting to show people where their food comes from. Our rolling plant tours ran every 30 minutes, giving guests a peek at how we bottle our milk, make our butter, and put our products together right here on the farm.
Tony led tours himself and was excited to show off the shiny stainless steel equipment and explain how everything works. Some guests even got the chance to make their own butter. There were plenty of great questions, and we loved every one of them.
Sundaes, Shakes, and Something New
You can’t have a festival without ice cream. Our Fall Fest Sundaes and Milkshakes were being handed out all day, and our Pumpkin Snap milkshake was the one everybody was talking about. We also served up the Mookie Sundae, a warm chocolate chip cookie topped with salted caramel ice cream, caramel drizzle, and mini chocolate chips. It was a hit at Camden Yards, and it was just as good on the farm.
Our Eggnog was there to kick off the season, too. We’ve been making it the same way for 25 years, and it never fails to be a fan favorite. We also gave out samples of our brand new unreleased pumpkin spice milk, and the reactions made our day. We’ve been playing around with new milk flavors, and this one tastes exactly like fall. Keep your eyes peeled for updates on when this will be available.
Shop Local, Eat Local
Fall Fest wouldn’t be the same without our vendors, and this year’s lineup was one of our best. Many of them are products you can also find through our home delivery service.Naturley in Fruition set up a booth that was hard to walk past. Shelves of raw, unpasteurized honey lined the display, including their Barrel Bloom honey, which is naturally aged in small batches.
Fall Fest wouldn’t be the same without our vendors, and this year’s lineup was one of our best. Many of them are products you can also find through our home delivery service. Guests could browse handmade chocolates, caramels, and fudge from Olympia Candy Kitchen, baked goods from Piece O’ Cake, including gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan options, and fresh breads and pastries from Kneads Bakeshop. Some vendors handed out free samples for guests to try something new.
Giving Back
This year, we were proud to hold a donation drive for SHIP of Frederick County, the Student Homelessness Initiative Partnership. SHIP supports local students facing homelessness and food insecurity, and we asked guests to bring everyday essentials like toothbrushes, laundry detergent, and hygiene products, especially ethnic hair care items, which are in high demand right now. No student should have to be homeless, and we’re glad to help where we can.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
A big thank you to the Frederick Flying Cows and Key 103 for sponsoring Fall Fest. The Flying Cows and Key 103 both had booths at the festival. The Flying Cows were hard to miss, mostly because they brought a giant inflatable cow that towered near their booth. We’re not saying we were jealous, but we definitely want a big inflatable cow for our farm, too.
Fall Fest is a family operation, and the whole Sowers-Brusco family was there. A special thank you goes to Sophia, who planned this year’s event from start to finish for the first time. It took months of coordinating vendors, schedules, and a lot of small details, all so that everything would run smoothly when you showed up. To our team members, vendors, volunteers, and everyone who came out to Fall Fest this year, thank you!
