On Saturday, October 24th Sagamore Hill NHS hosts a traditional Fall Family Festival from 11am to 5pm at the site, rain or shine. The festival will celebrate Sagamore Hill’s agricultural history as well as Theodore Roosevelt’s 151st birthday! Activities will include entertainment for children, old fashioned games and crafts, demonstrations and exhibits, music, pony rides, farm animal petting area, food vendors and more.
The day’s events will include music and entertainment: Local folk favorites Jessica Semmins and Johnny Cuomo will play traditional Irish music. Johnny Cuomo will also perform a solo set of children’s storytelling and songs. Traditional American Band Music from Theodore Roosevelt’s era will be performed.
Demonstrations will include a blacksmith, ropesmiths, and local partners with a variety of conservation themed exhibits; the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center will present their very popular Birds of Prey demonstration. The site will host pony rides and a farm animal petting area will be set up featuring the farm animals housed on the site while the Roosevelt family lived here. James Foote, portraying Theodore Roosevelt, will be present all day.
The visitor center gift shop will be open all day with a variety of gift items and books for sale. Local historian John Hammond will be on hand to sign his new book Images of America: Oyster Bay.
Food service of traditional American fare: hamburgers, hot dogs and popcorn will be available on the site or you may bring your own picnic. Visitors will be provided an opportunity to tour the Roosevelt home and to view the exhibits at the Theodore Roosevelt Museum at Old Orchard as well as walk the grounds and Nature Trail. All of the events, admission to the Roosevelt home are FREE (with the exception of the pony rides and petting area).
On Tuesday, October 27th, the actual birthdate of Theodore Roosevelt, the annual wreath laying ceremony will take place at 10AM at Young’s Memorial Cemetery, followed by ceremonies at Sagamore Hill. A Brass Quintet will perform during a special ceremony to retire the historic thirty-two star US flag to mark the end of a year-long observance celebrating the life and accomplishments of our 26th President. (This flag was first raised on TR’s 150th Birthday last year and recognizes the fact that TR was born on October 27, 1858 when there were only 32 states in the Union.) Visitors will be given the opportunity to tour the Roosevelt Home and Old Orchard Museum. Birthday cake will be served.
Please mark your calendars and plan to attend these exciting events. Check the Sagamore Hill website at www.nps.gov/sahi for updates, or call 516-922-4788 for more information.
Saturday October 24, 2009 Family Fesitval Schedule
Sagamore Hill is open from 10 to 4. Visitors may tour the President’s home, view the exhibits at Old Orchard, hike the Nature Trail, walk the grounds, picnic, etc.
Main attractions for the day:
11AM-4PM Theodore Roosevelt, portrayed by James Foote
12PM Birds of Prey Demonstration, present by the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center
1PM Traditional Irish Music, with Jessica Semmins and Johnny Cuomo
2PM Children’s Stories and Songs, with Johnny Cuomo
3PM Traditional American Band Music
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, located at 12 Sagamore Hill Road, Oyster Bay, New York, is a unit of the National Park Service. The site was established by Congress in 1962 to preserve and interpret the structures, landscape, collections and other cultural resources associated with Theodore Roosevelt’s home in Oyster Bay, New York, to ensure that future generations understand and appreciate the life and legacy of Theodore Roosevelt, his family and the significant events associated with him. Please check our website at www.nps.gov/sahi or call 516-922-4788 for more information.
