By Sue Moore
Being grateful for a successful harvest goes back to the Pilgrim’s. More importantly for the Vicksburg Historical Society (VHS), its sixth annual Harvest Festival has become a way for this hard working group to show its gratitude for a great year. They also get a chance to utilize the farm house, school house, village garage, print shop and township hall for the public to inspect during this fun event.
As an agricultural community in the past, Vicksburg has a rich history of farm families celebrating through good years and even some that were bad. Families and friends can gather at the Historic Village on Sunday, September 28 between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. to eat, play, and visit with the many animals that will be on display.
There will be the usual animal display featuring a camel, two giraffes, a zebra, four baby alpacas, goats, and David Crickshaw’s snakes, alligators, and a tortoise. Wagon rides are being offered that will help get people transported around the grounds, since the pavilion will be open and in use for the first time. Farmers’ Market vendors and antique dealers will be on hand to sell their wares in the pavilion. Food vendors will be scattered around the grounds.
Richard Barnes, who sawed the lumber for the pavilion, will bring his portable sawmill to demonstrate his technique. A story teller, a magician, a scavenger hunt, a pie baking contest, and guess the weight pumpkin contest will also be featured.
It takes a host of volunteers to bring this kind of event to fruition, according to Bob Smith, VHS’s president. His committee includes Gail Reisterer who heads up the volunteer coordination and recruitment, Sue Harper-Grieger works the animal display, Regina Richardson brings in the antique dealers, Fred Rainer throws out ideas, and Ron Wilson is in charge of parking cars. They are expecting help from the Boy Scouts Troop 251 and members of the high school National Honor Society.