Roll Some Logs at the Forestry Festival

Corsair Staff Reports

Pensacola Junior College presents the 21st annual Northwest Florida Forestry Conclave & Lumberjack Festival Saturday, March 7, at the Milton campus.

The exciting free event is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features fun for the whole family including adult forestry skills competitions, all day; children’s events, 9 to 11 a.m.; bluegrass music, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; food, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and a fire-fighting helicopter water drop at noon.

While the supply lasts, festival-goers also get to select free tree seedlings from a variety of species and receive information from experts on planting and proper care.

Adult and teen competitions include knife and axe throwing, bow sawing, Jack and Jill crosscut, log roll, pole felling and more. Prizes are awarded for each event.

Competitors must be 16 or older to compete in the adult division and 13 to 15 to compete in the junior division. There is a $3 participation fee for the first event and $1 per person fee for each additional event. Children, senior citizens and high school students compete for free.

Activities for children include a softball toss, log rolling, face painting, crafts and a visit from Smokey the Bear.

Various groups featuring forestry-related exhibits include the Blackwater Heritage Trail Association, Blackwater River State Park, Florida Division of Forestry, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Florida Native Plant Society.

Don’t miss recreational tree climbing and Andy Cummings’ chainsaw sculpting.

For more information, call 484-4463 or visit https://pjc.edu/lumberjack.