Fall abundance

I haven’t been to Farm Day in the City since 2022. It may have taken me that long to recover. Sensory-wise, there is a lot going on and that takes real mental effort for me and my daughter who is autistic. There are sounds and smells from every direction and the streets are crowded with people all out for a wander with no real direction. I was so dazed while leaving last time I basically walked into traffic and I wasn’t the only one. Something about the aimless shuffle through the action didn’t quite leave me in time to realize I was no longer in pedestrian-dominated territory. So I am bearing all this in mind while I prepare to go again. 

On October 5 from 10 am–4 pm, lower Queen, Victoria Row and Sydney Street will be booming with over 150 local vendors of all kinds. There were so many things I wanted to purchase last time, from delicious produce to pottery. The kids were much smaller then so my hands were as full as my heightened senses and I could never bring myself to try to navigate a stroller through that kind of crowd. Since that is no longer an issue, I plan to take advantage. The level of skill and abundance this Island possesses with artisans and growers is phenomenal. There is no other place I’d rather see my dollars go than directly back into our community. 

The music lineup for the day also has some of my local faves included back to back this year. I figure if I need a minute, I’m never far from getting a lyrical reset in a quick minute. Somehow a good sway always realigns me. 

The schedule of activities isn’t out for the kids zone yet but I’m assuming it’s ongoing throughout the event. I love the way kids will just immerse themselves with each other. If something looks fun, they’re in and they’ll make a new friend whose name they’ll never ask or need to know. 

I’m not sure where the antique tractor display is going to be set up but a few of us in my family will definitely spend more than our fair share of time checking it out. I’m always fascinated by historical farming equipment and happen to have a little collection of things around our property. I hope there are a few new-to-me old models to eye up. 

I also think they do a really stellar job of making the street festive with scarecrows and classic Fall display setups. Great for a sit and some cute photos too. I do hope they get repurposed at other locations after the fact. 

I may not have the energy for it every year but this round I am getting excited for. The summer was so hot and busy, I’m fully ready to embrace sweater weather and all things that embody a classic Fall on Prince Edward Island. Mark your calendar and come say “Haaay.”