Annapolis Valley Harvest Festivals

Pumpkins for sale along highway 201

Many communities in the Annapolis Valley hold annual harvest festivals or fall fairs. These festivals were first started as a celebration to honor the bounty of the land and the crops it produced.

After long hours of planting the seeds and months of caring for the produce during the summer, everyone is anxious to see what the fall crops will bring. Many factors determine a good crop from a poor one, soil, sun, rain, seed quality to name just a few. Lives can be drastically changed according to the crop harvested in the fall season.

It was believed long ago that a big fest and celebration held after the harvest not only thanked the Gods for the bountiful crops of that year, but also pleased them to help guarantee another good crop for the next year. This tradition has been kept up over the years for many other reasons also. It was a time when the difficult work was completed and a more relaxed season lay ahead. It is also the time when the fruits and vegetables taste their best. The spectacular fall colors add a beautiful natural backdrop that deserves its own celebration.

Head out to Sheffield Mills on the first Saturday of September for their Annual Harvest Festival held at the Community Hall, 98 Black Hole Road. The events are free of charge and you will be welcomed into a true country atmosphere. There will be lots of Games and Rides along with plenty of Displays and Live Music playing. Don't miss the Auction or Country Store. The Kids Parade is always a popular event as is the Archery Contest. Just follow the Eagle Head signs to the community after taking exit 12 off Highway 101 for this fun for the whole family event. If you would like more information you may call Richard Hennigar at 902 582 3044.

Apple Crates Piled Ready For The Apple Harvest

Around the end of September keep watch for the Melvern Square Harvest Festival organized by the Melvern Square and Area community Association. This annual event has grown very popular as the whole community comes out to celebrate their community and the tradition of the fall harvest. There are events for both the young and more experienced contestants.

Head to the front lawn at the Melvern Square Community Hall by 1 pm to watch the weigh-in of the giant pumpkins. Local business help support this contest by providing cash prizes for the winners of both the adult and child's categories. The winning pumpkins from 2006 weighed-in at 688 lbs in the adult category and 425 lbs for the Child's category.

There are also lots of prizes given out for the best decorated pumpkin grinner. Categories in this event include both carved and painted pumpkins and are open to kids of all ages.

Then head out to the back yard for the tractor skills competition. This event is popular with the teenagers and for the adult drivers to. But let's not forget the kids. There will be push peddle John Deere tractors for the younger children. Several businesses in the area have also provided prizes for these events.

There will be raffles and draws going on throughout the afternoon, including a draw for a huge harvest basket filled to the brim. If you feel a little hungry there will be both homemade apple and pumpkin pie available along with coffee and tea.

The eastern end of the Annapolis Valley from Kentville to Windsor have joined together to provide a full month of pumpkin fun and harvest festivals. There will be over thirty pumpkin events going on and twenty-five restaurants will be participating with harvest meals and pumpkin desserts. Farm markets and U-Picks will be going full force with all your favorites. You will also find art displays, concerts, dances, races and games happening in several communities throughout the month. As part of this festival Kentville will again host their famous Pumpkin People Displays all over town and Windsor will also be holding their very popular Windsor-West Hants Pumpkin Regatta.

Towns included in this Valley-wide Pumpkin Harvest include Kentville; New Minas; Wolfville; Grand Pre; Hantsport; Falmouth and Windsor. Here is an outline of just some of the events happening and the towns and communities where they will be held.

Kentville is Taken Over With Pumpkin People in October

Kentville celebrates the season with a huge Harvest Festival Kick-Off held in Centre Square. The day starts off at 9:30 am with greetings and the proclamation from the Town Crier. Then the entertainment starts with performances by several local groups and performers. At 10 am the many vendors open up with food, produce, crafts and much more. This is a great opportunity for you to buy local fresh produce or get a head start on some of your Christmas shopping.

There is a Pumpkin People workshop you may attend to get some hints on making your own display. The kids can enjoy the Inflatable Children's Game and Bouncer, Children's Art, Barrel Train Rides, Pony Rides and Hay Rides during the afternoon free of charge all being held in Centre Square.

This harvest festival does not only go for one day here. Kentville has become known throughout the country for its pumpkin people displays. Right through the whole month of October everyone is welcome to come see the many displays of pumpkin people designed by the local businesses and townspeople. It is a sight worth seeing as the imaginations of the local people come alive.

The official opening of the New Minas Family Fun Fall Harvest Fest kicks off at twelve o'clock noon in the Lockhart & Ryan Memorial Park. After the opening remarks the whole afternoon is full of fun events for the whole family.

There will be Old Fashioned Wagon Rides, Pony Rides, and a Magic Show for the kids. If you are hungry try out the corn Boil or the BBQs going on. Try your hand at the many contests like the Corn Shucking contest, Corn on the Cob Eating Contest, Apple Bobbing Contest, an Apple Pie Baking Contest and a Pumpkin Carving Contest.

There will be entertainment going on throughout the day and several vendors will be set up. The kids will love the special guest that will be making appearances during the day. It all sounds like a fun day for the whole family to get out and enjoy the Fall Harvest Festival.

Wolfville joins into the Valley Pumpkin Festival with several Fall Festival events going on there. In nearby Greenwich, Noggins Farm will have their famous Corn Maze available all month for you to try out. This has become quite popular with the locals and visitors to the area.

The town of Wolfville will be hosting a Pumpkin Carving Showcase and a Pumpkin Art Mosaic by the Alliance of Kings Artist. This will be unveiled at the Clocktober Fest which is a Celebration of Food and Fun in Wolfville, a showcase of the Culinary Passport participants.

The Pumpkin Palooza, Wolfville Farmer's Market will be held at the Robie Tufts Nature Centre. There will also be several performances fit for the season put on by the Acadia Performing Arts Series, W.A.C.K.Y. Films and Fundy Film Society. While in town make sure to stop into one of the local restaurants for some local fall harvest food or stop by Paddy's Pub for their Paddy's Pumpkin Ale.

Local Roadside Fruit Stand
Many Like This One Is Run On Trust Of Payment

Hantsport has several harvest festival events going on for the Valley Pumpkin Festival. Churchill House seems to be the main location for many of these events like the Halloween Harvest Supper, the exciting Moonlight Tour, the delicious Pumpkin Dessert Contest, the Smallest Pumpkin Contest and the Gallery of Gourds for UNICEF.

The pumpkin Carving Contest and the Movie with a Little Magic Show will be held at the Legion Center. Make your way over to the Riverbank Cemetery for the popular Candlelight Cemetery Tour, if you dare to. And don't miss the Grand Pumpkin Parade going down Main Street. Check your local paper for the timings for these events.

The first weekend of October is set aside for the Grand Pre Wine Fest which includes Free Tours and Wine Testing every hour on the hour. They will also have an Open Cellar, Live Music and a Barrel Rolling Race among other events and activities.

This harvest festival is located 3 kms east of Wolfville off exit 10. For more information call 902 542 1753.

The Annual Harvest Wine Fest & Grape Stomp will be held at Sainte Famille Wines in Falmouth. For more information about this event call 1 902 798 8311.

You will just have to go visit Windsor during the Pumpkin Festival; they have so many events running throughout the month of October. The young and the young at heart won't want to miss the Miniature Train Rides held at the Trecothic Creek & Windsor Railway. Of course they will have their annual Pumpkin Weigh Off held at the Exhibition Grounds. Remember this is the "Land of the Big Pumpkins", made famous by the Howard Dill record breaking pumpkins. Many of the Giant Pumpkin Growers in the valley still use his famous seeds.

There are many Bazaars, Harvest Dinners, Farmer's Markets, Auctions, Harvest Craft and Bake Sales happening throughout the month. The Haliburton House is holding the Mod Gourd Scavenger Hunt. The Children's Wish Foundation Parade of Pumpkin Paddlers goes from the Exhibition Grounds to the Waterfront where the very popular Annual Windsor - West Hants Pumpkin Regatta will take place. This regatta has become famous right across Canada and the United States. There will be a Perfect Pumpkin Painting Contest and it all winds up with a Halloween Dance held at the Community Centre.

The Pumpkins Are Picked Ready To Become Pumpkin Grinners

There are many more Fall Harvest events being held throughout the valley in many of the smaller communities. Many of the community halls will be busy with harvest dinners where delicious meals are served made from the produce harvested in the local area. These are always delicious home cooked meals topped off with either apple or pumpkin pies. Check out my Annapolis Dinners Page for a list of some of these that are annual events.

As I hear of any other Fall Festivals I will add them to this page so come back often to check it out.

Link from Harvest Festivals Page to Annapolis Festivals Page