published: Wednesday, October 31, 2012

27th CCC Festival set for Saturday

By SAMANTHA GHOLAR

sgholar@newssun.com

SEBRING - Highlands Hammock State Park will be filled with hundreds of visitors this weekend as it hosts the annual Civilian Conservation Corps Festival.

For nearly 30 years, the breathtaking park has brought residents and visitors alike to take in its beauty and all the park has to offer. The historic park brings nature to the forefront during the CCC Festival with plenty of opportunities to get up close and personal with some of nature's most interesting critters.

Festival coordinator and Park Services Specialist Dorothy Harris has been busy ensuring a great 27th year for the event and spilled all the information on the upcoming event.

"We've got a couple of new things this year. Gator Land (of Orlando) will be here. They will have two people with a whole slew of critters and animals," Harris said. "There will be a variety of things that have never been here before."

The Friends of Highlands Hammock organization went above and beyond to be sure to nail down some exciting new entertainment for this year's event.

"We couldn't have gotten Gator Land to come if it weren't for all their hard work," Harris said.

Among the many critters that will greet brave festival-goers, the CCC Festival provides a number of family-friendly activities throughout the day.

"There will be a chainsaw artist doing demonstrations. We have pony rides provided by Promise Acres this year as well as hay rides. We have a bounce house this year, which we are excited about because we haven't had one here in several years and it will be at no cost to parents," Harris said.

Entertainment during the festival includes Best of Times, Worst of Times at 10 a.m. followed by the Weatherbee's Magic and Comedy Show at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the main stage.

Other event activities to be expected is the new, up and coming sport of geocaching return to the festival.

"Geocaching is back. It's in its second year at the festival," Harris said. The popular sport has been catching fire all over the globe and has returned to the festival with more than 100 new geocaches hidden all over the park.

The Hike and Seek Geocaching event begins at 9 a.m. at the Rec Hall. For details or information regarding the geocaching, type GC3W3QG into any search engine to visit the event's page.

Less adventurous festival attendees can still enjoy a full day of fun with the many arts and crafts vendors, antique car and tractors, model trains, exotic plants, decor and a selection of foods including barbecue, gator tail, burgers, hand-cut fries and more.

The 27th annual Highlands Hammock CCC Festival will take place from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday. Admission price is $6 per carload, up to eight people. Tram rides will be available from the parking lot to the main festival area. For more information visit the park's website at www.floridastateparks.org/highlandshammock/.