Garfield set to celebrate the harvest
Oct. 14—The Community of Garfield Association has planned a street party for residents to celebrate the end of harvest in this city of about 600 in Whitman County.
The Garfield Harvest Festival starts at 4 p.m. today between Third Street and California Street in Garfield. There will be dancing in the street to live music from Aaron Kelly Rager Backcountry Blues Badasses at 6 p.m.
"It's a time for the community to come together and celebrate the end of harvest," said Sarah Anderson, public relations officer for Community of Garfield Association.
The festival is free and will have family friendly activities, food, drinks and local vendors. The vendors will be inside the community center behind the library at 109 Third St. The streets will be blocked off to traffic for the festivities.
The festival came from a desire to celebrate Garfield as a farming community, Anderson said.
In the weeks leading up the festival, the association organized vendor spotlights to post on its Facebook page. The vendors include, among about two dozen others, Garfield's Spice Lady, the Garfield Palouse Athletic Club, Beyond Sustainable Life, a regenerative farm, and Lana's Little Bakery.
There will be a beer garden sponsored by the Palouse Brewing Company, and food available from The Tipsy Heifer. Activities include carnival-style games.
The festival is in its second year and Anderson said it is one of the many events the association organizes, which include a May Day celebration, a community yard sale, fishing derby and trunk-or-treat.
The association itself is also new, having started about two years ago. Anderson said she acquired the public relations officer role about six months ago.
"We're still building the traditions," Anderson said.
For more about the festival or other events in Garfield, follow the Community of Garfield Association on Facebook.
Nelson can be reached at knelson@dnews.com.
