Harkness Family Day scheduled for Sept. 9

Waterford – The annual Harkness Family Day will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Harkness Memorial State Park.

Admission is free. In recognition of the generosity of the original owners of the property, Edward and Mary Harkness, visitors are asked to bring a non-perishable food item or a monetary donation for local food banks. Donations of new or gently used books for the “Whale Tales Book Bank for Kids” will also be accepted in the children’s activity area.

The event will feature games, art and science activities, antique auto and farm equipment displays, tours of the Eolia mansion, tours of the carriage house – which is not normally open to the public – and horse-an-wagon rides offered by Foxglove Farm. There is a fee for the rides.

Rose tea with desserts and petite sandwiches will be served starting at 11 a.m. on the patio of the mansion. The cost is $6 for adults and $2 for children ages 12 and younger. Hot dogs, popcorn and drinks will be available for purchase in the carriage house. The carriage house gift shop will be open.

Music will be provided by the Waterford Community Band and a DJ, and Gabrielle’s Karate & Kickboxing will give a demonstration. There will also be a car show by the Connecticut Area Classic TBirds car show and a ConnectiKITERS Kite-Flying demonstration.

The event is sponsored by the state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, The Friends of Harkness and the Youth Service Bureaus of Montville, New London, Preston & Waterford. For information, call Waterford Youth Services Bureau at (860) 444-5848.