Stone Ridge Orchard welcomed the community with the smell of wood-fired pizza, music and activities near the pumpkin field on a warm fall afternoon for the Vanaver Caravan Harvest Fest on Oct. 25, held from 2 to 5 p.m.

The event featured pay-what-you-can, donation-based admission, along with free crafts, face painting, live performances, dance activities and a raffle with tickets priced at just $1. Hosted by the Vanaver Caravan Dance Company, which offers classes, dances and performances featuring traditions from around the world, the festival raised money for the organization’s Dance Institute Scholarship Fund, Bill Vanaver Memorial Fund and Arts Education Access Fund.

“It has evolved over the years to just be a really community inclusive event that allows people to know a little bit about our organization,” Miranda Way, executive director of the Vanaver Caravan, said of the Harvest Fest. “I'm loving it. It's so fun. I feel called to the dance tent at some point. There's going to be a swing dance that I can't wait to be part of.”

At the dance tent, which was packed with attendees, activities continued throughout the afternoon. Visitors could also purchase pizza, cider, popcorn and donuts. Adults and children alike participated in swing dancing, square dancing and a demonstration of dance classes for children ages 4 to 11. The youth company dancers and Strawberry Hill Fiddlers also performed for the crowd.

“A lot of parents are here with their children who dance in our dance institute,” Way said. “There will be a little demonstration of what they've been doing in class for the past six weeks. Very informal and very fun, and any child can jump in.”

Other attendees arrived in costumes of their own, including Eileen Hedley, Molly Brook and Andrea Draznowsky, whose children are part of the Vanaver Caravan. The three wore giant puppets depicting an owl, a deer and a frog, made by Arm-of-the-Sea Theater and Tidewave Center. They described this year’s Harvest Fest as “so incredible” and “perfect,” praising the mild, sunny weather and the community activities.

The puppets worn by the attendees will also appear in the Vanaver Caravan’s upcoming production of “Into the Light,” scheduled for Dec. 19 at 1 and 4 p.m. at the Quimby Theater at SUNY New Paltz.