By: Sonora Slater for The Dirt
A white gazebo in the center of town, the iconic coffee shop where you’ll run into everyone you know, and streets lined with pumpkins and hay bales. That all might sound like a description of autumn in Stars Hollow, and it basically is, except this version is real, and less than a 20-minute-drive from Davis—albeit notably lacking in Gilmores. If you’re craving a family-friendly way to celebrate the start of the holiday season, the Winters Harvest Festival might just be the perfect way to get in the fall spirit, even if the weather is still pushing 90 degrees.
The annual three-day event takes over Main Street in Winters, known for its quaint, historical, and community-centric vibe. This year’s autumn celebration is set for October 24-26, and features activities that span from pumpkin painting to trick or treating to an open air street market with nearly 100 local craft vendors and merchants.
The Harvest Festival is one of two annual celebrations that Holden Events organizes and hosts in Winters, with the other being their Spring Open in March. The latter marks the first farmers market of the season, while the last day of the October festival marks the final farmers market of the season, closing out the warm months with a bang.
So what’s on the agenda? Delaney Holden, the founder of Holden Events, went over the action-packed plan for the weekend, emphasizing a focus on fun for all ages.
“We prioritize creating a family friendly event,” Holden told The Dirt. “We really want everyone to be as involved as possible.”
For younger festival participants, that means candy—and a lot of it. On Friday and Saturday evenings, a Trick or Treat trail will lead kids around to local businesses to gather a proper pile of sugar rush fodder. Pumpkin painting and kids games round out the schedule on Friday night, and a plethora of food trucks offering non-candy food will be parked in the area each day for when you need to get some protein—and maybe even a vegetable—into the stomach of your hangry toddler.
Teens and adults will find plenty to keep them entertained as well. Craft vendors at Saturday’s morning market will provide the opportunity for good old fashioned strolling and shopping, soundtracked by live music throughout the morning from 10a—3p. In the evening, a classic car show Holden says is set to be notably bigger than last year’s, and country line dancing in the streets will give visitors a taste of the community spirit that makes Winters so special.
Sunday closes the festival and the farmers market season with a more laid-back energy. Whether you’re shopping for the last of the summer produce (we’ll miss you, peaches and tomatoes) or just there for a locally-made pastry, this final day of the harvest festival is the perfect chance to take in the decor and atmosphere at a slower pace, and maybe even try one of the fall drinks from Steady Eddy’s Coffee House now that the Saturday crowds have subsided. Winters High School’s Spooktacular Fun Run and Costume Contest, also happening Sunday morning, gives the complete opposite energy, with one mile, 5K and 10K races happening bright and early for the energetic among us.
If you don’t live in Winters, but one day just isn’t sounding like enough time to squeeze in everything you want to see and do, Holden recommended Hotel Winters as a place to stay locally if you’re looking for a casual, autumn-coded weekend getaway.
“It’s like a Hallmark town,” Holden said. “Very charming. It’s giving Gilmore Girls fall, with the warm and cozy brick buildings, the music. I don’t know if it gets better than that.”
You can find the whole schedule here for the event on Instagram [link], and if you’re interested in being a vendor at Saturday’s open-air market or participating in the car show, applications are now open [link].
