Round Hill Neighbor Day returns Oct. 3 in backcountry Greenwich

Firetruck rides, pumpkin decorating and Audubon trail walks fill the Round Hill Association's eighth annual Neighbor Day on Saturday, Oct. 3.

The free, all-day event spans backcountry Greenwich, according to the association's website. Families can climb aboard a firetruck, decorate pumpkins, tackle an obstacle course, visit a petting zoo and try fall crafts. Nature lovers can walk the Audubon trails, explore the Greenwich Land Trust's Mueller Preserve at 370 Round Hill Road or take a self-guided tour of the Greenwich Riding & Trails Association's Nichols Preserve.

The schedule also includes a fitness session, a concert at North Greenwich Congregational Church and stops at several neighborhood businesses.

The Round Hill Store will serve cider and homemade donuts. Griffith E. Harris Golf Course, known locally as the Griff, will offer mimosas. Happiness Is will have treats, and The Study Fine Wine & Spirits will host a wine tasting.

The day also includes a presentation on plans for Greenwich Equestrian. Details about the scope of those plans have not been published. The presentation comes after the August closure of Kelsey Farm, which had operated as the last commercial horse farm in Greenwich for more than 75 years, according to the Round Hill Association.

The event is free.

Brendon DeSimone, president of the Round Hill Association, has been vocal about preserving the neighborhood's character through a season of change. When the Round Hill Store changed hands on Aug. 26 after 111 years under the Strain family, DeSimone said in an Aug. 31 post that the association welcomed "its next chapter with great enthusiasm and excitement for what lies ahead." The store, now owned by Chuck Royce and the Brumberg family under the Round Hill Preservation Society, will be one of the Neighbor Day stops.

The festivities wrap up with tailgate drinks and snacks at the Audubon parking lot from 4–5 p.m.