As a general member of the public I have been able to enjoy many years of great entertainment at the Mountain Harvest Festival and to see how this valley has grown in its commitment to the agriculture and the arts. It has become a time to showcase the bounty of the North Fork Valley and mingle with friends and family.
It has continue to grow over the years with farm tours, educational programs both in the arts and agriculture. It is a weekend I mark on my calendar a year in advance.
The Mountain Harvest Festival celebrated its 10th year in 2010. Our winery, Stone Cottage Cellars, was involved in the original festivals offering yours, tastings, and volunteer support. After the first few years, the focus of the festival seemed to shift elsewhere and we became less involved. In recent years a revitalized Mountain Harvest Festival has reached out to truly embrace local wine, local farms, local artisans, etc., and our involvement has increased again. The Festival now promotes locally-grown food, locally-vinted wine, locally-brewed beer, local musicians, local artisans, and local organizations throughout its multi-day schedule. It has become a major event during the summer tourist season. Last year the Mountain Harvest Festival was, in part, responsible for Stone Cottage Cellars' highest single-day sales volume ever. The re-focused Mountain Harvest Festival is a significant voice in the chorus celebrating local reliance in the face of increased globalization.
In the 10 years that the Mountain Harvest Festival has been in existence it has become an important event to our community both in the spirit of community building and in providing a significant economic boost to the local for profit and not for profit businesses. The 2010 Festival had a combined impact on the area of around $250,000. The many events during the 4 day festival bring together all facets of the community for family fun and opportunities to get to know what their neighbors do. The Festival showcases and supports the local artists, craftsmen and musicians as well as local farmers and food and beverage producers. Workshops spotlight sustainability of our agricultural way of life. The Mountain Harvest Festival 501(c)3 corporation awards an annual scholarship to high school students who are interested in pursuing agriculture as a career. Many of the events involve other local non profit businesses, allowing them a platform for fundraising. The all volunteer board of directors and the many other volunteers that help organize the Festival strive to "keep the money in town" by making festival expenditures locally whenever possible. The Mountain Harvest Festival is unique in it's spirit of community unity and celebration and showcasing the inordinate amount of talent in all areas possessed by the residents of this small mountain community and surrounding area.
Mountain Harvest Festival has been a way to promote local music and gather the community together during the Harvest season.
It is an anticipated event which uniquely promotes our local community. It's three venue music festivities allows the community and visitors to sample the plethora of musical talent that resides in the community as well as supporting local commerce during the event.
It is a grand event!!!!!
Pam Petersen, Audiologist, musician, and part owner of local winery.
Mountain Harvest Festival has been one of my very favorite engagements to participate in each year. It begins with the inspiring setting: Paonia, CO is a quaint, idyllic community filled with the sense of abundance and comradery. Home to many of the finest vineyards and orchards in the state, September is a celebratory season for Paonia, in which the foliage seem to participate with firework colors exploding all around the mountainside. Mountain Harvest Festival harnesses this energy of abundance and celebration and magnifies it through music and art. By bringing in (or locally sourcing) an army of creative musicians, artists and vendors for an entire weekend, Mountain Harvest Festival draws every member of the community out and about to participate in the joy. (Not to mention the throngs of people who travel from around the state to take part.) I am excited to have the opportunity to publicly bestow the highest possible rating to this amazing organization.
The Mountain Harvest Festival in Paonia, CO started 10 years ago maybe as an alternative to the "old timers " celebration on July 4th. It has grown and matured to celebrate the harvest of our community in ALL WAYS. No longer just music and art, but the wonderful harvest of local organic foods, wine and beer, and now even the local harvest of coal which sustains the more traditional part of our local economy. This inculsivity is paramount in growing our diverse community together and positioning us to cooperatively move into the future. The featival's celebrate and "buy local" theme covers the music, the food the drink EVERYTHING. The inclusion of other non-profits and the youth scolarships complete the circle in every way
As a writer, musician and a long-time volunteer for local music festivals, I take great pride in our regional music venues. I can't stress enough the importance of the Mountain Harvest Festival. It's important that such events become regular annual events, so they can be real contributors to the local economy. The Mountain Harvest Festival pays its musicians a small stipend, and in turn, provides them with a great venue before a friendly, local audience. The musicians are happy;; the audience is happy; the local economy gets a boost. Each year the festival enriches and enlivens its small mountain community. It's a lovely event, and people smile a lot. In other words, Mountain Harvest Festival is good for the arts, but it's also good for the pizza place on the corner. Mountain Harvest Festival represents the best of Colorado and should continue. My sincerest hope is that it will.
I have been involved with this wonderful event since its inception in 2001. I have been privileged to be a volunteer, have my non-profit organization earn money during the festival, be a part of the planning committee, and now a Member of the Board of Directors. They even let me perform with our best local talent! And that is what is so great about MHF. The arts - music, literary talent, painting, photography, sculpture and performance art - all get to shine. It is all local. We impress ourselves as well as our visitors. Come to Paonia, CO the last full weekend in September and see for yourself!
This festival has inspired locals to be more appreciative of the abundance in agriculture, art, wine food and music in our little neck of the woods. It has also drawn visitors in from all over the place to participate in the fun, family-friendly activities it provides. All of this would not be possible without the vision and generosity of its founders and board members, who are all local, real humans!
Such a great festival. They had great events and art vendors all day. Many choices of musical style and venue for the night shows and a friendly community spirit that imbided everyone with a sense of peace and contentment. More festivals and town affairs should model on this Harvest Festival experience.
This festival is a great example of a small community bringing people together for a positive event. It reminds us all of a common bond we have through the arts. We can't lose the arts in this country.
We had a fantastic time at the festival and were able to see many different musical styles. The diversity of the festival is impressive. Between the Town Park, and the downtown venues, everyone from young to not young had some fun to have. The slow bike race was very funny. I dont have any negative feedback.....theres so much going on you cant see it all.