Meet the Neighbors was the place to be last weekend to meet-up with some of the other awesome beings who call our area home – both humans and animals alike.

The latter included goats, pot-bellied pigs, cows, and the legendary Jake the donkey. The ponies were very popular, with steady streams of kids lining up to ride them. Bunnies and feathered fowl drew a crowd, too, as did puppies who got plenty of love at the Ruff Dog Rescue adoption station. And let’s not forget our pollinator-loving pals at the Milton Bee Club.

Last but not least, of course, were the primary inspiration for this family-friendly event – HORSES! Some of these stood on four hooves, while others were represented in photos displayed by one of many vendors who set up shop in the 21-acre Freemanville-Birmingham greenspace. Others joined them in selling equestrian-related items and promoting equestrian-related services.

This community event also featured Milton firefighters demonstrating their TLAER unit, which springs into action when there's a large animal (like a horse) in distress around our region. The Milton volunteer Fire Corps, meanwhile, cooked up hot dogs to serve to attendees while the Foster Greene music duo played pasture-appropriate tunes.

Smiles were abundant among the hundreds who came out Saturday to enjoy the festivities between the four-board fences in this special space. A big thanks, as well, to Mother Nature (after rudely raining out the 2025 edition) for making this year’s Meet the Neighbors even more beautiful.

 

For more photos of this event, go to https://www.flickr.com/photos/cityofmilton/albums/72177720333194910/.