Third Annual Harvest Festival in Bolton Landing

Saturday, October 5 the Town of Bolton had its annual Harvest Festival at the Bolton Community Center at the Conservation Park located at 56 Edgecomb Pond Road.  The Harvest Festival was started three years ago to introduce the new Community Center, and has been a wonderful fun day each year. The Harvest Festval is an all-day event with bed races, canoe races, all kinds of children’s activities such as face and pumpkin painting, a story teller and Smores, an apple cider press, a Potluck supper and an apple desert contest (recipes will be in the “Bolton’s Best Cookbook” that the library is putting out this year), square dancing, music by the Stony Creek Band, a bonfire, and Stone Soup made with produce from the Community Gardens as well as any bounty donated from local gardens. The Harvest Fest is really quite a community project. Jane Caldwell (who manages the Bolton Community Gardens) organized donations for the Stone Soup, which Eberhard and Wendy Burkowski put together starting at 9 am.  The soup is the first thing served, and is never the same twice. This year’s was cabbage and tomato based, and delicious. Ted Caldwell brought along his apple cider press, which is always a big hit. Carole Newell made the baked beans, macaroni and cheese and the coleslaw, and helped display the numerous dishes brought and shared for the Pot Luck. The Apple Desert Contest, organized and judged by the Bolton Senior Citizens, filled everyone’s sweet tooth. Many thanks to Rita Whitney, Pat Vanvalkenburg and their assistants.

Bill Campbell was the MC for the bed races – you could enter anything that started life as a bed, and is now on wheels. Each team had three pushers and one sleeper. It was straight up racing for 100 yards, side by side in a straight line (more or less!) on the pavement. The newly paved Edgecomb Pond Road was closed off for the event.

Cobber Pratt guided the canoe races, everyone stayed dry and in their craft, which was a very good thing!  The Bolton Emergency Squad was on hand in case anyone needed any help. Supervisor Ron Conover was there with his family, who especially enjoyed the children’s events. Susan Wilson volunteered to be timekeeper, so events happened more or less on schedule! The Stony Creek Band played until the square dancing took over, several local artists filled in to provide music all day. The Festival is sponsored by the Bolton Conservation Park Committee (Chairman Ted Caldwell, Wendy Burkowski, Barry Kincaid, Milo Barlow, Kevin Kershaw, and Town of Bolton Liaison Susan Wilson) and the Town of Bolton Recreation Commission. The Harvest Festival Committee members are Chairman Ted Caldwell, Jane Caldwell, Lorraine LeFeve, Deanne Rehm, Pat VanValkenburgh, Rita Whitney, Bill Campbell, Cobber Pratt, Michele Huck, and Carole Newell, all supported by a vast number of community volunteers. Many thanks to all the volunteers who worked so hard to bring this event together!  There were a lot of laughs, a lot of good food, and a great time was had by all! What are your favorite community events? Penelope Jewell              ]]>