Nearly 50,000 visitors a year come to the Forsyth Nature Center in Kingston to say “Hi” to Ernie, a pygmy goat, and Mel, a Nubian, Tulip, a pot-bellied pig, and Isaac, a great hulking bull of double-decade age. These favorites coexist with peacocks, guinea fowl, turtles and snakes and fish – close to 150 native and non-native animals of the feather, fur and scale sort – all under the care of Mark De Dea and a couple of stalwart assistants. There are animal and bird pens, a heated turtle house, a picnic gazebo for visitors to enjoy, educational centers and a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk around the pond.

With a broad base of support from the greater community, the Nature Center is much more than a habitat for animals. It’s a magnet for families and friends to meet each other and to get up-close-and-personal with the creatures. It serves local schools and community groups with tours and classes, and best of all, it brings people of all ages into contact with other species in a safe and comfortable environment.

If you haven’t discovered this great community resource, come to the ninth annual Fall Festival at the Nature Center on Sunday, October 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sponsored by the Friends of Forsyth Nature Center and the City of Kingston Parks and Recreation Department, the Festival will feature live entertainment, music, crafts, children’s games and activities, delicious foods and baked goods, raffles and much more.

Kids will enjoy a haunted hayride through Forsyth Park, a corn maze, face-painting, afternoon pony rides by Green Heron Farms and children’s programs at the Reading Nook with Stephanie Morgan and Karen Pillsworth. The Trapps, Vince Fisher, Bob Lusk and Jim Donnelly of Folkloric, the Flying Fox String Band and the Hudson Valley Youth Chorale will provide musical entertainment on the main stage. There will be wildlife demonstrations by Rusty Johnson and photo opportunities with FNC Animals by ArtCraft. A karate demonstration and a bouncy house will round out the fun.

Great park food will be available for purchase – hamburgers, hot dogs, nacho cheese, sodas and home-baked goods – with all proceeds directly benefiting the Nature Center. De Dea says, “With the addition of a new turkey vulture and two new llamas, we’ve got a full house for the Festival!”

Admission is free to the public. The Forsyth Nature Center is located at 157 Lucas Avenue in Kingston. Parking for the event will be at nearby Dietz Stadium and Edson Elementary School. Call (845) 339-3053 for further information, or visit www.forsythnaturecenter.org.