FallFest brings history to life

by Adriana Gasiewski

As 18th-century jigs reminiscent of bluegrass and Appalachian tunes played, colonists wearing buckled shoes and petticoats roamed the Brecksville Reservation Meadows Picnic Area during the Cleveland MetroPark’s annual FallFest: 18th Century Festival Sept. 27.

To educate Brecksville residents about the lifestyle of 18th-century settlers, FallFest offered old-fashioned activities such as candle making and featured the Brigade of the American Revolution reenactment for more than 100 attendees.

“It brings history to life. I think if you could touch something, if you can hold something, if you can see something being demonstrated, it means more to you than reading out of a book,” said Mark Kollecker, an archaeologist and museum educator.

Kollecker brought a collection of sharp tools the Native Americans would have used around 1600, with some even dating back to 10,000 B.C., for hunting, cooking and skinning.

Mark Kollecker displays his collection of razor-sharp tools.

Returning to the FallFest for his 56th time, he also brought bones and tool toys for children to play with, understanding how they’ll learn about the tools and their purposes through interacting with them.

“It tells where they came from,” Kollecker said. “Now with everybody worried about AI and talking about AI, it’s kind of interesting to see when people relied on stone and stick to bring their dinner down. So, I think it’s important that children and adults know about this.”

Kris Gaughan and his family’s business Gaughan Bee Dancin’ returned to FallFest this year, marking their fifth year selling honey and wax-based products, as well as offering presentations on bees.

Gaughan and the business have been partnering with the Cleveland MetroParks for about 17 years, attending various events and informing people about bees. This relationship led to the MetroParks asking Gaughan to come back for another year.

Ben, Rio, Silas, Jude and Debrah Miller enjoy a fun day out at FallFest.

“[It] brings kids in, gets them interested in different crafts – the kind of crafts that the frontier kids learn to survive years and years ago – that everybody takes for granted,” he said. “Now, you just go to the store and buy stuff, but they’re learning how to make it. Then they come to us and they learn about the importance of pollination.”

Not only does the FallFest inform residents about Ohio’s history, but it also helps them create fall traditions with their family.

Festival guests gather for a colonial magic show. IMG_7013 Mike, Mikey and Denise Dzigiel pose for a picture. IMG_7010 Hazel and Ivie Fuller select flowers for their bouquets.

Having visited the FallFest with her children, Jennifer Dzina of Brecksville brought her nieces, Hazel and Ivie Fuller, who enjoyed creating bouquets at the Emerald Necklace Garden Club booth, with her this year.

“It’s just a nice thing that you can do on a weekend together,” she said. “We live very close, and it’s nice to have family-oriented activities in the community.”

Steve Milcinovic of Brecksville attended the FallFest for the first time with his daughters, Sloane and Finley Milcinovic, who took part in last year’s festivities with their grandmother.

Sloane and Finley Milcinovic show off their bouquets.

Having enjoyed trying homemade apple cider juiced from a fruit press last year, Sloane and Finley were eager to revisit and make attending the FallFest an annual tradition.

“[It’s great] anytime you get the kids out of the house and away from a screen,” he said.