Don’t you love autumn? The beautiful colors, Sunday night football, sweatshirts, flannels, and all the candy you can think of. Asbury’s Student Activities Cabinet (SAC) took advantage of the season through the Harvest Festival.
On Oct. 23, children ran around Kresge’s Kandyland with balloon animals and met characters like Princess Lolly, Lord Licorice and King Candy. Others found themselves pursuing booths on the Aldersgate Green. With live banjo, warm apple cider, pumpkin painting, a fire pit and a plethora of chili, the festival embodied nostalgia.
Walking around the Aldersgate Green, Taylor Collingsworth’s Lettering by Lessie booth is the first thing to see. Here you could purchase hand-lettered signs, embroidered pencil bags, and handmade headbands. “Making these signs, headbands and embroidering has become a really good creative outlet for me,” Collingsworth said.
Further around the circle, Samantha Hill is all smiles with her ring and earring business (@samantha_hill20 on Instagram). The idea started out as a mere hobby and a fun thing to learn through Youtube, but now she enjoys providing gifts to others. “I make jewelry because I am a ring enthusiast myself,” Hill said. “I’ve been wearing rings for a very long time now and I thought ‘what the heck, why don’t I make them and sell them to bring other people a little bit of joy.’”
Right after Hill’s booth, The Fishery (@aufishery on Instagram), a small business dedicated to propagating and selling succulent, is run by Nick Garnett, Braeden Bisher, Caleb Reams and Trent Holladay. They co-founded this business bred from quarantine boredom. Not only do they propagate and grow succulents but they also host The Fishery Podcast, now available on Asbury Internet Radio (AIR 90).
On the outskirts of the Aldersgate Green, SAC hosted a chili cook-off. People were encouraged to taste each chili and then vote on which they thought was best. On chili cooker, Matt Haugen, said “I think a lot of us have been working on these chili recipes for a long time. I am not a chili connoisseur; I just know I like making things for people and this is a great way to do that.”
There was also a fire pit where one could enjoy hot apple cider and s’mores. The homemade pumpkin patch also allowed you to pick and then paint your pumpkin with your friends. The Harvest Festival had something for the entire community to enjoy.
