Venturing Out: Have some autumn fun at Petaluma's Tolay Lake Festival

TOLAY FESTIVAL, OCT. 13, 19-20

Petaluma: The annual, two-weekend festival east of Petaluma features hands-on, old-time, nature-based autumn fun with a hay ride to a pumpkin patch, wool-carding and candle-dipping, pumpkin seed spitting contest, gunny sack races, straw maze, barnyard animals, food vendors and a nighttime creatures barn. $5 adults, $3 kids 12 and younger, parking $7. Tolay Lake Regional Park, 5869 Cannon Lane. Families with children may enjoy a calmer afternoon 3-6 p.m. Oct. 21. Hay slide, hay maze, corn pit and scarecrow making events available. Free pumpkin for each family, additional ones for sale. Parking $7, $5 per child. Registration required at parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov.

FAMILY HIKE, OCT. 4

Kenwood: Docent led-free 2-mile hike for all ages, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, 2605 Adobe Canyon Road. Meet at the Visitor’s Center. Parking $10, $8 seniors and students.707-833 5712, sugarloafpark.org.

SENIOR SAUNTERS, OCT. 15

Bodega Bay: Take a leisurely 2-mile stroll while socializing with older adults on the Coastal Prairie Trail, 2255 Highway 1, 10 a.m.-11:30 p.m. All abilities welcome. Parking $7, free to Regional Parks members. Visit SonomaCountyParks.org, 707-565-7888.

SCARECROW DAYS, OCT. 18-26

Windsor: The Windsor Education Foundation’s annual fundraiser begins Oct. 18 with scarecrows decorating the fountain and pools and shade trees area on the Town Green between Oct. 18-Nov. 3 and the Harvest Fair on Oct. 26. 701 McClelland Drive. windsorwe.org. This year’s theme is “Just Imagine.”

HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL, OCT. 19

Santa Rosa: Enter a haunted house, play carnival games, join the costume parade and enjoy food music and more, 4-7 p.m., 1111 College Ave. Visit scfymca.org.

James Lanaras