4th annual Harvest Festival to celebrate local food, healthy living

Submitted by Grete Gansauer

 

Celebrate the fall harvest season with local food, live music, and fun for the whole family at the fourth annual Kootenai Harvest Festival, hosted by Montana Wilderness Association with the Libby Community Garden and Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness. This is a free event that is open to all ages. The Kootenai Harvest Festival will take place at Riverfront Park in Libby on Saturday, September 15 from noon until 7:30 p.m.

Dance to live music, play fun games with the kids, eat locally-grown food, and shop with over 30 northwest Montana food and crafts vendors. Find locally grown veggies, handmade crafts, custom jewelry, homemade jams and jellies, and upcycled treasures with our array of farmers market vendors. Kids’ activities include: tug-o-war, sack races, coloring games, tic-tac-toe, pumpkin ring toss, straw play fort, water balloon flight, candy scavenger hunt, free dance lessons, and more. Kids activities are free to enjoy.

“Our goal with the Harvest Festival is to bring the community together to enjoy the outdoors and recognize all the great things northwest Montana has to offer,” said Grete Gansauer, chairperson of the event. “This event is powered by a hardworking group of volunteers, and it has been embraced by the community. It wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for the community coming together to support it and make it happen.”

Don’t forget to bring apples to use in the complimentary apple cider press provided by Yaak Valley Forest Council. The cider press is free to use, but you must bring your own non-sprayed apples, as well as a container for your cider. Five gallons of apples creates approximately one gallon of cider.
Savor a delicious garden-to-table supper prepared by the Gracious Table for just $10 per plate. The meal will include a pulled pork sandwich or harvest squash soup served with your choice of a side, and cobbler for dessert. The meal will be sold from noon until 7 p.m. All vegetables that will be used in the dinner have been grown locally by individual gardeners or at the Libby Community Garden, and all other ingredients in the meal are locally-sourced. Beer will be generously provided by Cabinet Mountain Brewing Company and will be served to those of age for $3 per glass.

Support the Harvest Festival by purchasing a custom t-shirt for $10, or by putting your name in the hat for a raffle prize generously donated by Ace Hardware of Libby and Homesteaders Ranch and Feed. Raffle tickets will be sold individually for $5, or 5 tickets for $20. Pre-purchase your raffle tickets at Rosauers in Libby on Saturday, Sept. 8 at the Harvest Festival booth.

There will be live music at the Harvest Festival too. Kick your heels up with your favorite dance partner to local music provided by Rod and Anna Snyder and Billy Powell.

For more information, please contact Grete Gansauer at 406-284-1747 or at ggansauer@wildmontana.org. or visit wildmontana.org/harvest fest or find the event on Facebook by searching “Kootenai Harvest Festival.”