Get in the fall spirit this weekend at Rutledge-Wilson Farm Park’s Harvest Fest! Oct. 28 is the final day to enjoy these fall festivities.

Five weekends of fun

Photo via Kate Bequette.

Jenny Fillmer Edwards, Public Information Administrator for the Springfield-Greene County Park Board, believes that this year’s annual Harvest Fest is better than ever.

“The Harvest Fest is a multi-weekend celebration of all things fall-related at Rutledge-Wilson Park, a working farm here in Springfield. It is the biggest event of the year held at the farm. The event goes on for five weekends,” said Fillmer Edwards.

There are many different aspects of Harvest Fest. Everyone is guaranteed to find something that they will enjoy.

“It is like a sandwich of events. First, itself, is Harvest fest which takes place the Saturdays and Sundays of the five-weekend span. It is very kid friendly. It has bouncy houses, crafts, rides and many different activities that the whole family can experience together,” said Fillmer Edwards.

Admission and parking for Harvest Fest is free, but certain activities cost a small fee to partake in.

“Another layer of the event is the corn maze and pumpkin patch. Both are open during Harvest Fest and on Friday and Saturday nights. These are very typical of the Ozark area fall festivals and bring in a lot of attraction from the community,” said Fillmer Edwards.

The spookier side

Photo via Taylor Stanton.

For those wanting to get into the Halloween spirit, don’t worry. Harvest Fest is for the thrill seekers, too.

“The third layer is the Haunted Trail. This is our nighttime event. It is designed for an older audience. It is basically an outdoor haunted house. You take a hayride to the trail entrance that is in the middle of the woods and once inside, people will experience a lot of characters designed to scare them and put them on edge. It works every time! It is really exciting and great for college kids,” said Fillmer Edwards.

While the activities are fun for all, no child under eight years old is allowed in the haunted trail, and, unless the child is 12 or older, an adult must accompany them.

Why should you attend?

Get your family and friends together because Harvest Fest is an event everyone should experience this autumn season.

“People should attend because it is a great way to get out and enjoy these last few days before winter kicks in. For many people, Harvest Fest is a tradition. They go every year. They bring their kids and grandkids. It is a nice way to celebrate the season and to have a lot of fun,” said Fillmer Edwards.

For more information about the event including directions, hours and pricing, visit parkboard.org/harvestfest or visit the Harvest Fest event page on Facebook.

Article by Kate Bequette.