The North Market Harvest Festival is helping to kick off Local Matters Local Foods Week on Saturday, October 3. In addition to our usual extravaganza of harvest produce, baking contests, live music and kids’ activities, this year as part of their Local Foods Week celebration, Local Matters worked to pair local chefs with some of our farmers to do cooking demonstrations right out of their stalls.This festival is a fun one for the kiddies with a plethora of activities and entertainment. Mark Wood will be twisting balloon animals and executing fancy rope tricks. Rita Miller will be on hand for fanciful full face painting. There will be give-aways of cookies and apples and the Columbus Jaycees will return for their annual stint of offering harvest-inspired crafts. Not to mention, if you are looking for a new four-legged friend, the Columbus Dog Connection will be on hand with adoptable dogs.

Enterprising customers have several opportunities to take home a prize in our Harvest Festival baking contests. In the pumpkin bread contest, entrants are invited to submit their version in loaf or muffin form. Our two other contests feature the time-honored tradition of pie baking and participants can submit their favorite pumpkin or apple pies for judging. The first place winner of the bread competition will win $50 in North Market gift certificates and each pie competition winner will receive $100 in North Market gift certificates. All home-baked entries will be available for purchase with proceeds benefiting the nonprofit North Market Development Authority. To register or for more information, please call the North Market at (614) 463-9664. Participation is limited to 12 entries per contest.

“Having the Harvest Festival as the kickoff for Local Matters Local Foods Week is a perfect combination that highlights both our activities and our mission to support local businesses.” said David Wible, Executive Director of the North Market. “You will see and taste that mission in action with our local chefs preparing recipes right in our farmers’ stalls.”

Scheduled Harvest Festival activities include:
• Farmers’ Market and North Market merchants open at 8 a.m.
• Market to Market breakfast in the Dispatch Kitchen, 8 - 10 a.m.
• Cooking demonstrations with local chefs at farmer stalls, 9 - 11 a.m.
• Live music by Folk Wood Players, 9 - 11 a.m.
• Mark Wood Cowboy Fun Show, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• Joy Unspeakable, the Living Statue, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
• Face painting, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• Free pumpkin cookies for the kids, courtesy of Mozart’s Bakery, 10 a.m. while supply lasts.
• Free apples for the kids, 10 a.m. while supply lasts.
• Autumn crafts with the Columbus Jaycees, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• Columbus Dog Connection, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• Live music by Slate Ridge, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• Pumpkin Bread contest, 12 p.m.
• Pumpkin Pie contest, 1 p.m.
• Apple pie contest, 2 p.m.
• Face painting, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• Live music by Willie Phoenix, 1 - 4 p.m.

The North Market Harvest Festival begins at 8 a.m. and is a free event. For more information or to sign-up for any of the contests, please call the North Market at (614) 463-9664 or email info@northmarket.com