To the Editor:

The 54th Annual Harvest Festival in Norwood is over until next year and it was a marvelous day. 

We first want to say well done to those who helped plan and execute this year’s festival: Maureen Triolo, Lisa Levison, and Carolynn Halford.  Their ideas, enthusiasm, and connections brought to the Festival a vibrant atmosphere.  Patti Dean painted the popular scarecrow photo booth and Pat Mayo and family marked the vendor’s spots. 

Norwood’s businesses; Merriman’s Lumber, Simply Yarn, Cornerstone, Norwood News Cafe, and Tree of Life Christian Bookstore provided scarecrows to help decorate the park along with hay bales from Charlie Colbert, pumpkins from Webster’s Meat Market, and colorful Mums from Lowe’s.  A maple producer scarecrow from Clark Decker in Winthrop also joined us.  The park had a definite festive flair to it.

Joining us for entertainment in the morning were the Line Dancers under the direction of Rochelle LaShomb, and then singers Nicole White and her friend, Josephine.  In between their acts was the “Happy Trails” Bike Parade for young children with our mascot scarecrow, Dick Bastille, leading the parade.  

In the afternoon we had several couples dance the Virginia Reel and then Danielle Morse played keyboard for our listening and shopping pleasure, while Shirley Meunier read her book, “Why Wilbur?” at the Library’s booth.   Our talented and dependable Andy VanDuyne kept the sound system and microphones working for us.

Pumpkin games and pumpkin painting kept children active and laughing most of the day.  Kris Rozelle oversaw the “Ugly Pumpkin Painting” where the goal is to make an ugly, warty pumpkin beautiful. Great job to all the children!  

The Free Methodist Church, St. Olympia Orthodox Church, and Grace Bible Fellowship had pumpkin games available throughout the day which included pumpkin mini golf, pumpkin ring toss, guess the weight of the pumpkin, and pumpkin bowling.  All games and entertainment were free.  This year there was a chance to win stuffed animals donated by the Christian Bookstore to the school children that brought in their backpack coupon telling them about the festival.  There were three winners with nine coupons coming to the festival’s registration booth.  Thank you to Patti Dean for sending home the handouts with the children of NNCS.

The Norwood Lake Association ran Kiwanis’ food booth, the Norwood Public Library sold snow cones, and the ice cream truck sold favorites treats, while the Fire Department and the DPW had a Touch-a-Truck available. 

What would a fall festival be without the “work of our hands” vendors that lined the new sidewalks in the park?  We had almost 50 vendors with over 500 people coming to the festival.  Once again, thank you everyone that helped make this a “Festival Well Done” by the people and organizations of the Village of Norwood.  We now look forward to next year.

Dick and Sharon Bastille, Coordinators

Norwood