Reelfoot Fall Celebration set Oct. 24

Celebrate fall with a hayride, a canoe trip, bluegrass music, a free lunch and more Saturday, Oct. 24 at Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge.

The refuge is holding a Fall Celebration in observance of National Wildlife Refuge Week.

All activities are free, but space is limited. Reservations are required and may be made by calling (731) 538-2481 between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. weekdays.

"We want as many people to come as we can get," refuge volunteer Rachaell Herold said.

Hayrides leave from the refuge's Long Point Unit at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The rides last 2 hours and stop at booths along the way to learn about waterfowl identification, duck calls, invertebrates, songbirds and wood duck banding.

Canoe trips leave from the refuge's Grassy Island Unit boat ramp at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The 1.5-hour tours will include a discussion of refuge history, plants and wildlife.

A free chili lunch and bluegrass music will be provided 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on the Long Point Unit. Children's crafts projects and live animal displays also will be featured.

The refuge is located on Reelfoot Lake's northeastern edge about 6.3 miles north of Samburg. Follow Highway 22 north of Samburg to Highway 157. Turn left. The refuge's visitor center is about a mile from Highway 22.

To reach the Grassy Island Unit, follow Highway 157 about a mile north of the visitors center. Turn left at Walnut Log and drive about 5 miles to the boat ramp.

To reach the Long Point Unit, follow Highway 157 north from the visitors center into Kentucky. Turn left onto Kentucky Highway 1282 (the first road to the left after passing the Kentucky state line). The entrance to the Long Point Unit will be on the left, across from a pair of houses on right.