Goodell Gardens Plans Homegrown Harvest Festival

Sunday, Sept. 16

Goodell Gardens will wind down its 2018 season Sunday, Sept. 16 with its annual Homegrown Harvest Festival from noon to 5 p.m.

The event will feature locally grown food, live music, a butterfly release and more.

"You'll be supporting local farmers, local artists and a great community organization," said Goodell Garden's executive director, Amber Wellington. "And seeing dozens of butterflies released at once is downright magical."

Throughout the afternoon, people can purchase handcrafted goods and local produce, participate in a beehive painting competition, see quilts and antique tractors on display, and walk through a live butterfly tent. Entrance to the butterfly tent costs $2.

The butterflies will be released at 4 p.m. Guests can reserve a monarch butterfly for $10 or a painted lady for $6. To reserve a butterfly, people should call or visit squareup.com/store/goodellevents to order their butterfly before Friday, Sept. 14. Quantities are limited.

The Goodell Gardens String Band will perform at noon, Jay B. & the Vigils at 1, and TK Blues Company from 3 to 5 p.m.

"It's a family-friendly occasion, and there really is something for everyone," says Wellington.

The festival began 13 years ago as a mum festival, but quickly expanded to become the Homegrown Harvest Festival.

The event is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority and several Erie area businesses and organizations. — Tracy Geibel

Noon to 5 p.m. // Goodell Gardens, 221 Waterford St., Edinboro // free, $2 parking fee, $2 admission into butterfly tent // (814) 734-6699 // goodellgardens.org