Get ready for a busy weekend on tap

Oct. 17-18 promises to be a busy weekend as a variety of activities abound.

Nature Fest returns to the Mineola Nature Preserve after a nine-year absence with a packed lineup getting underway Friday evening and continuing through the day on Saturday.

The semiannual Highway 80 garage sale will go on throughout the weekend the length of the county and beyond, with that action picking up at some locations on Thursday and going through Sunday.

The Mineola Rotary Club has its twice-a-year electronics recycling program on Saturday morning at the First Methodist Church Ministries Center on N. Newsom St. (see related story on Page 6A)

Sorelle Farms hosts its fall festival at 975 CR 2220 from 10-4.

A car show benefiting Animal Protection of East Texas is Saturday morning at Walmart.

The First Baptist Church of Mineola marks its 150th anniversary with events Saturday evening and Sunday morning. (see stry Page 2A)

Wood County Democrats plan a protest in downtown Mineola Saturday from 11-1.

Nature Fest’s events on Friday evening will run from 6-9:30 p.m. and include hot dogs and s’mores, camp fires and stories and a movie and popcorn.

Saturday events are scheduled from 8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The lineup includes the Creature Teacher, Promise of Peace Gardens workshop, Tribes of Tejas ceremony, native American hoop dancer, blackland prairie raptors, nature photography, birding hike, kid fishing, pony rides, corn hole, preserve tours, wood carving demonstration, laser tag, inflatable maze, rock painting, outdoor yoga, disc golf demonstrations, seed ball making, tree identification walk, fire prevention education, wildscape gardening and many more events and vendors.

There are hands on activities for all ages, and all are free.