Despite heavy rain on the first day of the two-day event, the sixth annual Heritage Harvest Festival organized by the Friends of Heritage State Park took place on October 3rd and 4th, 2009. The event was the occasion for a recognition of the 25th anniversary of the Park and included an appearance by former Governor Michael Dukakis who was instrumental in securing funding to construct eight Heritage Parks, including Blackstone River, Fall River, Gardiner, Holyoke,  Lawrence, Lynn, Roxbury and Western Gateway in North Adams.  Co-sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Friends of Heritage State Park, the event also included arts and crafts and children's activities. Click here for photos of last year's event and here for pictures of the 2005 Harvest Festival. Click here to read the Herald News article about the event. For information about the Friends of Heritage State Park, contact Paul Simister at 508-353-0416.
 

(Top row, left) Isabelle Morimotto sings on stage along with the Mike Moran Band, Bandstand Revue and the Carter Twins. (Top row, center) Fall River Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation staff Jim Paul, Bob Horton and Renee Dufour get together under the main tent. (Top row, right) Tom Pavao of the Down and Dirty band performs on Sunday. (Middle row, left) Six-year-old McKenzie Gendrolis gets advice from her mother, Ashley Moss, at the pumpkin decorating table. (Middle row, center) Nine-year-old Maxim Macura walks away from the craft tent with a newly-created tool box as his mother, Crystal, and younger sister Azryel follow. (Middle row, right) Jeff Silvia of Home Depot in Somerset assists ten-year-old Cody Meda and January Souza in building a bird house.  (Bottom row, left) Governor Michael Dukakis is greeted by Paul Simister and Janet Lebel representing Senator John Kerry. (Bottom row, center) Kitty Dukakis joins her husband as he recalls how the Heritage Park system was envisioned over 25 years ago. (Bottom row, right) DCR Southeast Regional Director Brian Shanahan thanks Governor Dukakis for his support of the park system over the years.