The first official day of fall brought brisk weather to the Lower Milford Township 16th Annual Fall Festival this year. The well-attended event took place on the township grounds Sept. 22 and showcased local vendors, farms and crafts.

Along with children’s activities and live entertainment, the festival offered a silent auction, carriage rides and tractor rides. Local businesses in attendance included Hausman’s Fruit Farm, Macungie Mountain Herb Farm and Limeport Deli and Market.

The festival celebrated 30 years of farmland preservation in the area. Farm owners can elect to sell their development rights and continue to farm. This program ensures the land will be used only for agricultural cultivation and open space purposes for future generations.

Lois Gadeck, chairman of the planning commission, re-dedicated a historic preservation plaque honoring the farm owners and their families at the fall festival. “We would not have what we have today if these people didn’t believe in a place to call home. They love the land, and to leave it for future generations, it is such a legacy.”

Lower Milford has preserved approximately 3,200 acres of agriculture and open space since the program’s inception.