Audubon Center's BentFest 2013 to Feature Hayrides, Kids' Activities & More

During the Audubon Center at Bent of the River’s BentFest 2013 on September 21st, hayrides will be a distinctive part of the fun and excitement. Beginning at 2 p.m., rain or shine, attendees will park their cars and either choose to hike or board the hay wagon for the short journey to the BentFest festivities in Althea’s Meadow and the historic barn area of the Center. Hayrides can also be taken to return to cars when they leave the festivities during this one-day fundraiser for the non-profit Audubon Center.

The non-profit Audubon Center at Bent of the River’s annual family-oriented fundraiser will include river and nature walks, tie-dye T-shirt creations, local food vendors, kids’ activities, bird watching, raffle prizes, plus live music by the Willie Nininger Band. “We are very excited to welcome songwriter and performer Willie Nininger, his wife and singer Jan Scruggs, and their very talented accompanist Ken Melton of Bethlehem on vocals and percussion,” stated Leslie Kane, Audubon Center at Bent of the River Director. “Their music is an eclectic blend of oldies, rock ‘n roll, original music, plus country and folk music. Willie and Jan live here in Southbury and they perform throughout this area, New York City and New England. They will perform for us between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m., preceded with activities throughout the afternoon beginning at 2:00 p.m. for people of all ages.”

Activities scheduled for BentFest2013 include a Birds of Prey Show at the Main Tent 2:15 to 3:00 p.m. and “Meet a Bird of Prey” 3:15 to 4:00 p.m. at the River Trail Tent, and a Bird Banding demonstration at 3:00 p.m. Other activities include nature walks along this historic Pootatuck Road that was the original 1700’s road from Boston to Yorktown, Virginia; an insect safari; bird-watching boulevard; un-natural nature trail hikes; kids’ bird feeder activity and kids’ favorite crafts with Kara. Green Blessings Center of Southbury will be offering chair massages with all proceeds to go to the Bent. YWARF-Youth Wildlife & Recycling Foundation of Southbury will be selling water with proceeds to go the Bent, and collecting recyclables. Other exhibitors will include Golden Button of South Britain, YMCA, and the Bent’s “Bird Tales” display.

New for 2013 is the fundraising sale of coffee, tea and pastries in the Bent’s historic 1800s barn. “We will create a café area,” stated Kane, “in our iconic historic barn. Visitors can sit and enjoy refreshments while admiring the weather-worn wood and large beams of this 45 x 30 foot post Civil War barn.”

The Audubon’s mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife and their habitats. Located along the Pomperaug River and bordering Little Pootatuck Brook, the Audubon Center at Bent of the River nature center and sanctuary is a private, not-for-profit organization that protects over 700 acres of numerous natural ecosystems, habitats, un-fragmented forest, grasslands, meadows, swamps and a portion of the Pomperaug River.

There are more than 15 miles of hiking trails throughout The Bent on varied and beautiful terrains. Many ecosystems can be found at The Bent including deciduous and coniferous forest, rocky ledges, grasslands, old meadows, vernal pools, red maple swamps, and river habitats.

Audubon owns both sides of the Pomperaug River for almost one mile which is an undisturbed and wild environment where beaver, muskrat, river otter, and mink can be found, and Bald eagles regularly fish. More than 170 species of birds have been recorded and The Bent’s highly diverse eco-systems have been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) in Connecticut, protecting open land and wildlife over one square mile (http://bentoftheriver.audubon.org).