October Harvest Time

 

October Festivals and Harvests

Harvest time in October means it is festival time! People are gathering across the country to celebrate the foods and traditions of their region. From New England cranberries to Oregon pumpkins, there’s a lot to see and do. 

Our Favorites

21^st Annual Trailing of the Sheep Festival

This is all about bringing the sheep home and other livestock home from the mountains to their winter pasture. The streets fill with sheep as people gather to celebrate and preserve the history and culture of sheep herding in Idaho and the West. 

Where: Sun Valley, Ketchum, and Hailey, Idaho

When: October 4-8, 2017

Juried arts and crafts show offers handmade items made of wool, alpaca, wool blends or items of a 'sheep' nature such as soaps and lotions from lanolin, sheep cheeses or items that augment cooking with lamb.  More:trailingofthesheep.org.

14^th Annual Cranberry Harvest Festival.

This New England tradition is the highlight of the harvest season in Massachusetts. Bog tours, paddleboat rides and more.

Where: Wareham, Massachussetts

When: October 7-8, 2017

More:  https://www.seeplymouth.com/events/14th-annual-cranberry-harvest-celebration

Circleville Pumpkin Festival

Established in 1903 by the Mayor, it began as a small exhibit of corn and pumpkin decorations. Today it offers so much more.

Where: Circleville, Ohio

When: October 18-21, 2017

Parades and delicious fall treats. Plus, more than 10,000 pounds of pumpkins, squash, and guards beautifying the streets! More: pumpkinshow.com.

Other Fun Festivals:

Hood River Valley Harvest Fest

Where: Hood River, Oregon

When: October 13-15, 2017

For more information: hoodriver.org.

Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin’ Festival

Where: Stowe, Vermont

When: October 14-15, 2017

For more information: vtpumpkinchuckin.blogspot.com.

 

Related Information

Cranberry Food Lore

 

Halloween

Halloween Folk Customs

Halloween hasn’t always been about costumes and Trick-or-Treating. Its history stretches far into the past where it was both a way to honor the spirits and souls of those who no longer lived. Here are examples of how it is celebrated in different countries:

Austria

Austria has Halloween traditions that are more rooted in spiritual overtones. It is common for people to leave bread near a lighted lamp to welcome the dead souls back to earth.

Belgium

Superstitions abound. Crossing the path of a black cat or traveling by ship at this time will lead to bad luck for the foreseeable future. Many light candles of remembrance for loved who that have passed on.

Canada

Modern Halloween traditions began in the 1800s and are similar to those celebrated in the United States: carving pumpkins, fall festivals and trick or treating.

China

There is a popular Halloween festival in China called Teng Chieh. Food, water and photographs of loved ones who have died are placed on altars. These death shrines help souls find their way back to earth at this time.  

Czechoslovakia

In this country chairs are used to signify those that have passed on. They are placed near fire where the living sit in them and welcome the spirits that visit on Halloween night.

England

In the past, children would carve pumpkins into designs of their choice and went out onto the streets with their lit pumpkins. Many also went door to door asking for money. Today candy has replaced the money.

To learn more about the history of Halloween click here.  Want vampires?