NEW GLOUCESTER – Despite gray skies, Pineland Farms celebrated its Harvest Festival on Oct. 23, attracting thousands to enjoy the afternoon and evening activities.

Halloween costume contests brought hundreds of children dressed as goblins, clowns, tin men, witches, brides and cats, Spider Man, tigers and ghosts.

Leonard Brooks, director of the Shaker Museum at Sabbathday Lake, indulged in the pie-eating contest. The Little Melodies Band greeted festival-goers in the Visitor’s Center while outdoors pumpkin carving and shuttle rides to Valley Farm beckoned families.

At Valley Farm hand milking of the dairy cows took place at 3 p.m. while trail trick-or treating, hayrides and bobbing for apples kept the public busy. A corn-husking contest and pumpkin walk rounded out the activities that ended with fireside storytelling. Children in Halloween costumes entered free.

Pineland Farms surrounding the Pineland campus is a working farm that offers educational opportunities to the public.