Join “Shirley” the mule and friends at Oatland Island Wildlife Center in Savannah for the annual Harvest Festival and Cane Grinding fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 18.

Have some good old-fashioned family fun and experience a time-honored southern tradition. Visitors will enjoy this festive fall celebration amidst the aromas of hearth-baked corn bread, simmering cane syrup, copper kettle apple butter and other open fire-cooked foods that visitors can sample. 

The Savannah Folk Music Society will fill the forest with traditional rhythms while children enjoy hay rides, crafts and games, as well as a talent show and cake walk. Enjoy traditional crafts and colonial living demonstrations such as weaving and spinning by The Fiber Guild of the Savannahs. “Shirley” will be demonstrating how sugar cane is juiced.

Food and refreshment concessions will be available. The admission will be $7 for adults and $5 for children ages 4-17, military and seniors.    

Oatland Island Wildlife Center is a unit of the Savannah-Chatham County School System and serves as a field study site for students throughout the region. It features the 2-mile long “Native Animal Nature Trail” that winds through maritime forest, freshwater wetlands and salt marsh habitats and links many native animal exhibits such as wolves, alligators and cougars.  Special fundraising events help provide animal care and trail and habitat improvements. 

Oatland is open daily to the public for self-guided tours from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. except Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.