Delights galore at Walbridge Farm Festival

MILLBROOK — The Giles family celebrated their fifth annual Farm Festival on Saturday, July 11. The family hosted the event at their very own Walbridge Farm, located just outside of the village, providing an afternoon of free agricultural entertainment.

The farm was completely open to the public, allowing full exploration. Not only did the Giles want to provide an afternoon of fun, they wanted to educate visitors on the everyday functions and processes of a farm.

Festival activities included hay rides, a mechanical bull, a bouncy house, face painting, games and vendors. The Giles even had tractors set up with big piles of sand for the visiting children to play and build in. 

Jack Forbes, 10, from Wassaic, said that aside from befriending and petting the goats, that “the bull ride was the best!”

Booths were set up around the farm, selling concessions, handmade goods and a variety of products from other local farms. Visitors could also register for different events like the annual Muck Run, which is coming up in September. Fresh-​squeezed lemonade was sold in mason jars to support the Wounded Warriors Project. 

Cheryl and Doug Giles, the farm owners, could be found mingling with guests. Their two sons, Gunner and Tucker, along with other family and close friends, helped to execute the day’s activities as smoothly as possible. 

“This is all family and friends, we can’t get any more local than this,” said Cheryl Giles. As a member of the Millbrook Business Association herself, Giles said that she and her family are hugely supportive of local business. 

Along with their on-​site shop, Walbridge Farm has a booth at the Millbrook Farmers Market most weekends. 

Walbridge Farm is a registered Angus beef farm. It sells select cuts of meat locally and also sends cattle across the country. 

The Giles have owned the farm for 10 years; they said that in their five years of holding the farm festival they’ve received nothing but support from the community. They added that they’re immensely appreciative of this positive outcome.

“This is really about our appreciation of the continued support we receive from the community — all of our neighbors, friends and visitors,” said Doug Giles. “We cannot thank them enough.”

The Giles said that they’ll absolutely be holding another Farm Festival next year. They have big plans, including wanting to incorporate a children’s cattle showing.