Stow Harvest Fest is Oct. 5-6

Stow Historical Society’s 35th Annual Harvest Festival will be held on Oct. 5 and Oct. 6 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

The event will be held at Heritage Reserve Park at Silver Springs Park, 5120 Young Road. Craft vendors, historic home tours, old-time craft demonstrations, raffles, concessions, children’s activities, musical entertainment, and old-fashioned apple butter stirring are some of the offerings available.

New this year will be an exhibit of small farm animals and participation by the Ohio Living History Society. Artisans and crafters will be selling hand-crafted items including jewelry, wreaths and dried floral arrangements, metal work objects, paper crafts, homemade soaps and lotions, hair bows and clips, Native American flutes, crochet items, birdhouses, American Girl doll clothes, items for your dog, photography prints and notecards, handmade scarves, bags and much more.

Vendors will be located in the Heritage Barn, a large tent, and on the grounds. For a full listing of vendors please see the Stow Historical Society’s website at www.stowhistory.org.

Kettle corn will be available from Savannah’s Kettle Corn. Old-time craft demonstrations, such chair caning, weaving, and blacksmithing, will be ongoing throughout the weekend at various locations. As in past years, attendees will be able to help with the old-fashioned apple butter stirring. Take a turn stirring the apples in the large kettle over an outdoor fire. Children will have a chance to paint and take home pumpkins supplied by Stow Parks and Recreation Department. 


Also new this year, local 4H groups, Equestrian Challenge and JZ’s Wildbunch will be showing their farm animals. Equestrian Challenge is a small group of dedicated 4H members who mentor special needs children with their horses. JZ’s Wildbunch show their small animals, as well as work on non-animal projects like cooking, sewing, and woodworking. Many of the 4H members are Pet Pals certified to take their animals on visits to Nursing homes, MRDD and festivals. Rabbits, poultry, goats, and other animals will be located in a fenced in area near the parking lot. Children and adults will have a chance to hold, groom, and pet the animals. 

There will be musical entertainment both days of the Festival.

Playing from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday will be String Fantasy, a five piece band playing traditional American, German, and Celtic folk music. Formed in 1996, members are from Akron, Canton and Massillon.

Sunday’s musical entertainment will be Sona, a four-piece group from Columbus playing American and Celtic folk tunes.  The Erie Canal song will be included in tunes and vocals of historical songs from 1800’s America. 

Stow Historical Society’s three historic homes, The Heritage House Museum, Mary Starr House, and the Minnie Darrow House will be open to the public. The fully furnished homes depict life as it was for our ancestors. 

You can find updated information on the 2013 Harvest Festival and a complete list of craft vendors on the SHS website at www.stowhistory.org