WYWC Aims to Make Saturday's Harvestfest a New Westwood Tradition

By Sara Gill

On Saturday, October 15th, the Westwood Young Women’s Club (WYWC) is hosting Westwood’s second annual Harvestfest. Initially launched in 2021 as a pandemic-friendly alternative to the Club’s traditional Winterfest, Harvestfest is an outdoor event for children and families from Westwood and surrounding communities.

This year’s Harvestfest will take place at Martha Jones Elementary School from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Harvestfest is a ticketed event and entry includes a petting zoo, bounce houses, fall crafts, balloon animals, pumpkin carving, live entertainment, and a Westwood Public Library-led story walk. An ice cream truck, food trucks, and juice bar will also be on-site, and the Club is selling Muffin House muffins and apple cider donuts from Fairmount Fruit Farm.

Photo by Jennifer Flanders / Westwood Young Women’s Club. Large blankets spread on the grass provide an area for families with infants or young kids to sit down at the Harvestfest.

“Harvestfest is quickly becoming a beloved Westwood tradition,” WYWC president Helena Stone shared. “The club members have been working hard to organize a fun, festive event, and we’re excited to see hundreds of local families come out and experience this year’s Harvestfest.”

The Harvestfest Committee began the planning process in June of this year, armed with a list of best practices and lessons learned from last year’s inaugural event. They experienced some minor challenges – the ripple effect of the Hanlon School construction meant that they needed to change from last year’s Deerfield location, for instance – but went on to collaborate with local vendors and entertainers to craft an exciting outdoor event.

Photo by Jennifer Flanders / Westwood Young Women's Club. It's story time, as children gather in a circle of chairs around a story teller.

Harvestfest Committee Chair Sara Gill adds, “Several local businesses were eager to sponsor Harvestfest this year, and the committee raised about 30% more in sponsorship revenue than last year. This support has been instrumental in shaping this year’s event.”

WYWC events raise money for the Club’s various charitable initiatives in and around Westwood, including contributions to the Westwood Early Childhood Council, playground improvements, and an annual scholarship to a Westwood High School graduate each year. The WYWC was incorporated in 1971, and Club events have been a fixture of Westwood life ever since.

If you’re interested in attending Harvestfest, you can purchase tickets on Eventbrite. Tickets are $10/child or $25/family. 

Thanks to Sara Gill of Westwood Young Women's Club for contributing this article to Westwood Minute.

Photo (cropped) by Jennifer Flanders / Westwood Young Women's Club. A happy Jack-O'-Lantern (or the Great Pumpkin?) delights children in the Harvestfest crowd.

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