This Quirky Pine Cone Fest Boasts Cute Contests, Mountain Air

PINE CONE SIGHTINGS? We enjoy them throughout the year, in a variety of sweet settings. We may see the woodsy favorites in a potpourri bowl, or sitting atop a backyard fence, and crunching on one or two snow-hidden cones during a wintertime hike? That happens with some fresh-air'd frequency, too. But if there was a time of year that had true pine-cone-y panache, we'd have to pick fall. That may be due to all of the holiday crafts that start to spring up around October — projects that often feature conifer cones as a centerpiece — or the fact that so many autumn festivals draw people to crisper climes, the sort of places where pine cones proliferate. And one of those locations is most definitely the San Bernardino Mountains, or at least several parts of the large range, where spots like Rim Nordic enjoy a veritable vast-a-tude of pine cone goodness. And to celebrate? There's the Annual Pine Cone Festival, a free, family-fun outing that features plenty of autumnal activities.

AND CONTESTS, TOO: The festival is returning after a hiatus on Saturday, Oct. 1, but longtime fans will remember the World's Largest Pine Cone showdown, one of the best-known elements of the adorable happening. That contest will be back, along with a Pine Cone Craft Contest. But you say you are not in possession of a behemoth cone and you haven't made a wreath or wall hanging? No worries: Stop by the free festival for kids' activities, games, and live tunes. Oh yes, and artisans shall be out if you're seeking a creative purchase while there, the kind of item that finds its inspiration in nature. This pine cone party is one of the Golden State's most singular celebrations, one that honors the mountain trees that add such character to California.

HELLO, FALL JOY: Seeking a joyful jumpstart to your craftiest season, one with a homespun nature-based approach? Scramble, like a pine cone-seeking squirrel might, by this site now.