A fall tradition geared toward community engagement and supporting local businesses will soon sprout up again in Sewickley.

The annual Harvest Festival is scheduled for Sept. 7.

It will be the 33rd installment of the autumn jubilee presented by the Rotary Club of Quaker Valley and Kiwanis Club of Sewickley.

Organizers expect it to be one of the largest groupings of crafters, food and beverage providers and other artisans ever.

“This is going to be the largest one with the number of vendors,” said Scott Zahner, event chairman and Rotary president. “We’re north of 140 (registrants). Word’s getting around. Different vendors go to different festivals and they are mentioning our name.”

Vendor applications go out in late January, early February. There is now a waiting list.

More than 5,000 people were estimated to have participated in last year’s festival.

“The various Quaker Valley communities have been very supportive of us,” Zahner said of the turnouts.

Scheduled vendors include Country Hammer Moonshine, The Dip Ladies, Shearer Kettle Corn, TuVous Fashions, Kyle’s Cakes, Wear It Well, Wu’s Shaved Ice, The Sweet Spot and Wine and Twine.

Local organizations including Sewickley Academy, Sewickley Historical Society, Quaker Valley School District, Sewickley Valley YMCA and the Sewickley Public Library are also expected to participate.

No live music is planned and the Rotary will not be selling mums this year.

Broad Street will be closed from Beaver to Thorn streets. Thorn Street will be closed from Broad to Chestnut streets.

Kiwanis Club treasurer Denny Shea said the layout should be familiar to festival fans.

“I’m not certain of anything that would be new to the festival itself other than the addition of some vendors,” he said. “They are very much looking forward to this.

“I think that the Harvest Festival is Sewickley’s opportunity to showcase Sewickley. All the different types of stores that are in the little borough, the different types of restaurants and things like that that are there; people seem to enjoy being part of Sewickley.”

People can get a preview of the layout by checking the maps posted at various locations within the borough’s business district.

“We do put an awful lot of work into this,” Shea said. “I think it is very worthwhile.”

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.

Borough first responders will be at the event to ensure public safety and help build relationships with community members.

Police Chief Dave Mazza said his department will have a children’s fair in connection with the festival, including face painting and a bounce house in front of the borough building along Thorn Street between Logan and Chestnut streets.

Safety informational booths and a bicycle giveaway are also part of the fair.

“We do it in part because we know there’s going to be a good turnout of people for the festival,” Mazza said. “It’s well organized and people come from all over the place. The town’s packed.”

The chief has invited all full and part-time officers to make an appearance.

“Those things go such a long way to have when you’re a police officer,” Mazza said about community events. “To have that personal interaction with smiles on your face as a police officer. Often when we meet people it’s not under the best circumstances. This gives us an opportunity to do it a different way.”

Attendees may also have an opportunity to see horses and meet Allegheny County Police mounted patrol.

Cochran Hose Volunteer Fire Company may open the doors of its station and bring out fire trucks for families to explore.

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