Sewickley Harvest Festival returns after a year hiatus

An annual celebration of arts, crafts and other goods is returning to Sewickley after a year hiatus due to the pandemic.

The Harvest Festival is an autumn tradition presented by the Rotary Club of Quaker Valley and Kiwanis of Sewickley.

The clubs plan to celebrate the 30th installment of the Harvest Festival on Sept. 11.

Festivities are expected to take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. along Broad and Thorn streets.

Rotary president Scott Zahner said he expects a big turnout.

“It’s a community event, especially this year,” he said. “People want to get out and get some sort of normalcy back. It gives small vendors a chance to sell their product (and) we have a great relationship with the Kiwanis Club.”

More than 100 vendors have signed on and about 20 spots are still available for the event.

Applications are available via the borough’s website, sewickleyborough.org.

Zahner said he is unsure if there will be any specific celebration at the event for the 30th milestone.

The festival originated in the 1940s to help local farmers. It took place in a field near the Sewickley YMCA before being moved to the main streets.

Organizers said it was also previously run by Sweetwater Center for the Arts and leaned more heavily on the arts compared to food at that time. The festival was later dropped until the Rotary and Kiwanis clubs began working together in the 1980s to bring it back.

Sam Maccarone, a charter member of the Quaker Valley Rotary, remembered what it was like prior to the partnership and even before it had many crafters.

“Back in the day, it was truly a harvest festival where people brought in eggs, cheeses, breads, fruits and grains,” he said. “Every town seems to have their own farmers market now a day, and they open every week of the year so there’s no need for them to go to a festival anymore.”

Admission is free. Parking is available at the hospital.

“The only thing that makes it or breaks it is the weather, and that’s something we can’t control,” Maccarone. “We’ve been pretty lucky over the years.”

Hundreds, if not thousands, come to the borough for the event.

Kiwanis president Dennis Shea said it was a letdown to have to cancel it last year and a huge effort to plan its return.

“We sat off last year because of the pandemic and we were hopeful to bring it back because we realize it’s important for the borough as well as Kiwanis and the rotary,” he said. “We thought that if the signs were right and we’ve put a couple months of work into it already (to be successful). Us bringing it to the table started back in April. We’re trying to test the waters. We’re really optimistic that we’re heading in the right direction.”

Some of the vendors scheduled to participate include Marlin Gist Art Gallery, Knights of Columbus, Papa Dukes, Wooden Accents, Belle Farm, Liokareas EVOO and State Farm Johnsen Insurance.

Council president Jeff Neff said everyone is excited about the festival’s return.

“That’s a staple event for Sewickley,” Neff said. “A lot of people come back into town for it just to hang out, run into their friends and purchase some things from the vendors. I’m excited. The borough’s ready to have people back in town.”

More information is available by contacting Sam Maccarone at smaccarone65@gmail.com.