Have Fun at Harvest Festivals
It’s harvest time, and that means abundance, bargains at famers markets, and harvest festivals!
Here’s the scoop on some of the best festivals:
California
As many of my readers are based in California, I’ll start with this one. (And it’s my favourite, because it includes wine!). Sonoma County Harvest Fair lasts for 3 days (30th September – 2nd October). It offers wine tasting from over 150 wineries, live jazz, an art show, chef demonstrations, agricultural activities for the whole family.
Also at the Fair is the World Championship Grape Stomp – you can compete to be named the world’s greatest grape stomp team. Entrance tickets are $8 and $3 for children (under 6 go free). Tickets can be bought online or at the gate.
Ohio
The four-day event has been running each year since 1903. The Circleville Pumpkin Show welcomes over 400,000 people each year! It’s free, and there are parades, contests, music, and of course an awful lot of pumpkins – on display and also in pies, pancakes, doughnuts and ice cream. Lindsey’s Bakery creates the ‘world’s largest’ pumpkin pie – visitors often queue for an hour to see it!
It runs October 19 – 22 (Wednesday to Saturday).
New York
90 minutes from New York is the site of the original 1969 Woodstock festival, and now the Harvest Festival at Bethel Woods. Go for the day or make a weekend of it. It runs on Sundays from September 4th to October 9th.
There are alpacas, crafts, corn and hay mazes, pony rides, harvest food and live music. Admission is free.
France
The small town of La Haye-de-Routot in Normandy hosts the delightfully-named Fete des Legumes Oublies (Festival of the Forgotten Vegetables). Vegetables whose popularity has waned in the last decades are celebrated on Sunday 9th October. There are tastings, workshops and live music.
Korea
Korea celebrates the year’s harvest and gives thanks during Chuseok on September 11-13. It’s one of Korea’s biggest holidays. Koreans return to their family homes and honour their ancestors with offerings and cemetery visits. Then the communities gather for traditional activities such as see-saw jumping, arrow throwing, wrestling and dancing. If you happen to be in Korea there are public displays in Seoul and Busan.
I hope these suggestions give you some good ideas on how to enjoy and take advantage of the fresh air before winter arrives.
Hi Clare!
You just reminded me of the festivals in Korea! I lived there three years and they are the most amazing Harvest festivals in the whole world! They are fun, very “folkloric” and there are many yummy things to eat!
How wonderful that you’ve been there! Delighted to read about how great they are, thanks Eva!
In Costa Rica there is a great folk festival with crafts, music, food, etc. in Oct!This will be my first time attending!
Sonya Lenzo
I’ve yet to enjoy wine country but I’m quite familiar with harvest festivals. At the church behind the house I grew up in New Jersey we had a 3 day strawberry festival.
I’ve never really considered Harvest Festivals as Farmer’s Markets that pack a punch. They look like a lot of fun.
I’ve never really considered Harvest Festivals as Farmer’s Markets that pack a punch. They look like a lot of fun.