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Harvest Festival drew nearly 100 vendors and raised funds; committee debates pie-contest fees and declines Christmas parade participation
Summary
Committee reported 96 vendors at the Harvest Festival and roughly $1,500 raised for a local resident from chili-cookoff activities; members debated charging contestant fees for a pie contest and voted informally not to participate in the Dec. 13 Christmas parade.
Park and Tree Committee members summarized the Harvest Festival on Oct. 15, reporting strong vendor participation and community fundraising, and used the discussion to debate event finances and committee participation in forthcoming parades.
Event staff said 96 vendors took part in this year’s Harvest Festival, including a busy food court, a popular petting zoo and long lines for face- and pumpkin-painting. Staff said much of the donation money tied to festival events—combined with proceeds and donations from a local motorcycle group—resulted in roughly $1,500 given to a local girl fighting cancer. “In total… we got a little over $1,500 that we were able to give her,” the event coordinator said; the speaker also said they could not remember the exact final figure.
Committee members then discussed the pie contest and whether to charge contestant fees. Staff explained many cities charge contestant fees to cover event costs and that trophies, supplies and staff time create unavoidable expenses. The meeting recorded an example cost framing (a $10-per-pie figure was used in discussion) and staff said registration for next year would open July 1 and that low sign-up by Sept. 1 could force cancellation. The event coordinator said slices could be sold (donations of $3 per slice) to raise funds for parks programs.
Finally, members considered participating in the city’s Dec. 13 Christmas parade. After a roundtable on logistics, staffing and alignment with the committee’s parks mission, a majority said no and the chair concluded the committee will not enter the parade this year; members encouraged focusing on a summertime parade that better promotes park programs.
What’s next: staff will continue event planning for next year’s 20th-anniversary Harvest Festival, solicit sponsors for contests, and pursue volunteer and sponsor contacts to cover contest costs.
