Harvest Festival returns to Sewickley

A September Sewickley celebration of arts, crafts, food and fun is expected to bring thousands of people to the borough.

The 32nd annual Harvest Festival is presented by the Rotary Club of Quaker Valley and Kiwanis Club of Sewickley.

Broad Street from Beaver to Thorn streets and Thorn Street from Broad to Chestnut streets will be closed for the festival from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 9.

About 8,000 visitors and 110 vendors are expected to participate. Festivities are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“People come from all over,” said Denny Shea, event vice president and Kiwanis treasurer. “They’re not just coming up from Edgeworth and Ambridge. Good weather can help us. The year before last we had a very good year. We ran out of all sorts of sodas and we were running down the local Giant Eagle to replenish our things.”

The festival originated in the 1940s to help local farmers. It took place in a field near the Sewickley YMCA before being moved to the main streets.

Organizers said it was also previously run by Sweetwater Center for the Arts and leaned more heavily on the arts compared to food at that time. The festival was later dropped until the Rotary and Kiwanis clubs began working together in the 1980s to bring it back.

“I like working with the vendors, and when it’s all said and done to be able to say, ‘I was part of a group that did this,’” event chairman and Rotary president Scott Zahner said about the collaboration. “It’s a tradition. People enjoy it. Not only the businesses do well in Sewickley because of all the people that come in, but we promote the borough and enjoy doing it. People look forward to this, both vendors and customers. The majority of our vendors are returning vendors.”

Vendor participation

The coming festival will be the fifth year for Uzi Kornhauser of Uzi’s Pastries in DuBois.

He said he is bringing 15 different cheesecakes as well as 15 other types of cakes to compliment a selection of pies, cookies, nut rolls, baklava and more. The trip from DuBois to Sewickley is about two and a half hours.

“I go where there’s business, and Sewickley is a very nice area,” Kornhauser said. “I think it’s a very good festival. People are very nice. I make, I sell, I clean.”

Marlon Gist Art in Aliquippa also marks its fifth year at the festival. Run by former Sewickley resident and 1990 Quaker Valley grad Marlon Gist, the festival is like a homecoming of sorts.

“I see a lot of people I went to school with and other people from Sewickley,” Gist said. “Its a lot of friendly people, great variety of vendors, good food, good entertainment. … There are a bunch of happy people running around.”

Gist plans on bringing a variety of paintings including abstract pieces, realist landscapes with vibrant colors as well as some graphite and charcoal pencil pictures. Artwork can be previewed at his Facebook page.

Gist said he learned to love art while at Quaker Valley High School and also learned from his father, the late David E. Gist.

“I just look forward to having a good time,” Gist said. “I love being out in the public. I love exposing my art to people. I’m just always looking to meet more people and get more opportunities.”

He and his sister, Tracey Gist, own the Art and Soul Cafe in Pittsburgh.

There will be jewelry and candle makers, wood crafts, moonshine, pottery, honey, glass decor, clothing, soaps, rustic decor and so much more.

Vendors include Three Dog Alaskan Salsa, Mediterranean Gift Shop, Seasonal Creations, Wooden Welcomes, Crafty Campers, Birthday Skirt, Goofy Goat Glass, Wear It Well, Fur Kids Essentials and Dream Wild Jewelry.

Community opportunity

Other community organizations and businesses such as the Sewickley Valley YMCA, Berkshire Hathaway, Heritage Valley Health System, Quaker Valley School District and Sewickley Academy will have informational booths.

First responders will have their vehicles and equipment for people to explore as well as child safety activities.

Kiwanis and Rotary volunteers will be selling food and drinks. All proceeds will go toward future events.

“We don’t take the money and go down and see the Steelers,” Shea said. “We’re both nonprofit organizations. We try as hard as we can to put as much money back into (the community).”

More information about the Harvest Festival is available at the Rotary Club of Quaker Valley’s Facebook page or by emailing szahner1@yahoo.com.