Homegrown Happiness

Contributed

This September, Goodell Gardens and Homestead will be celebrating their 18th annual Homegrown Harvest Festival. This free event celebrates the bounty of the season with over 60 vendors including locally grown produce, handmade goods, and arts and crafts with plenty of live, local music and food to go around.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 15

Goodell Gardens & Homestead is a historic public garden, accredited arboretum, and community gathering space located in Edinboro. Founded in 2001 with the intention of building an educational environment for those sharing a passion in horticulture and gardening, late heiresses Carrie and Margaret Goodell have successfully achieved their wish.

On Sept. 15, Goodell Gardens will hold their 18th annual Homegrown Harvest Festival as a celebration of the harvest season and capstone to summer.

With over 60 vendors, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Attendees can look forward to fresh produce and products by local farmers and artists, a variety of children's activities, live music, food trucks, raffle auctions, and more.

Executive Director Amber Wellington highlights the festival's significance as "a way to support local farmers, food producers, and artists, and a way to gather the community at Goodell for one last big hurrah before the weather changes."

Wellington spoke fondly of how the event has grown over the years: "It started as a mum festival and has slowly grown into an absolutely beautiful autumnal event."

Events organizer Brit Skrzypczak credited several sponsors in and around the Edinboro community who have helped make the festival possible every year: "All proceeds from our Homegrown Harvest Festival not only provide a special event for local children and families to learn and gather, but will continue our mission to offer affordable programs, access to the gardens, trails, labyrinth, and other amenities, and to further develop the 80-acre former Goodell farm into a community asset."

Skrzypczak continued, "All of the special events and programming supports our mission of creating beautiful gardens and natural spaces where people can visit to enjoy, gather, learn, and refresh." 

Noon to 5 p.m. // Goodell Gardens & Homestead, 221 Waterford St. // Free // For more info: goodellgardens.org/harvestfest