Weekend celebration: Quincy Hometown Harvest Fest features history, culture

QUINCY — Three Quincy organizations are working together on a weekend of art, music, cultural recognition, historical demonstrations, hay rides and a host of activities at the first Hometown Harvest Fest, beginning Friday.

“I think it’s going to be a phenomenal weekend,” said Quincy Valley Historical Society and Museum Director Harriet Weber.

Entry into most events is free; the exceptions are the Art, Wine and Brews Walk at the Quincy Public Market Saturday night and the straw maze at Becerra Farms Saturday and Sunday.

The museum and the market will host many of the events, with a block party downtown. Quincy Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Cari Mathews said the weekend combines some longtime events with some new ideas.

“There are some new things happening this weekend,” Weber said.

The Chamber, QVHSM, the Quincy Lions chapter and the public market owners are pooling their efforts, Mathews said.

“We’re all kind of working together as a community to bring some new events to Quincy,” Mathews said.

Events start Friday night with the Better Block Street Carnival from 5 to 8 p.m. on B Street Southeast between Central Avenue South and First Avenue Southeast. It will feature live music, bouncy toys, a mechanical bull, games and concessions. Alcohol will not be served on site.

“We’re making it a family street carnival,” Weber said.

Local wineries are participating in the Wine Trail, where participants can visit seven Quincy Valley wineries, beginning Friday and continuing all weekend. Participants can be entered into a drawing for prizes.

Saturday’s events start at the museum, 415 F St. SW. The museum has sponsored a harvest festival for many years, Weber said, combining it with a cultural festival for the last few years. The Celebration of Culture and Harvest will be from noon to 4 p.m. Events include hands-on demonstrations of traditional tasks like churning butter, Weber said, and performances from Ballet Sol y Luna and mariachi bands.

“We’re having a hayride on site,” she said, sponsored by the Quincy Lions.

There’s also a hayride and straw maze sponsored by the Lions at Becerra Gardens; the Lions straw maze at Becerra Gardens is a longtime Quincy tradition. The maze will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $6 per person and includes a pumpkin. Becerra Gardens is located at 11235 Road 9 NW.

Quincy has been around for more than a century, and in its history has attracted – and continues to attract – people from all over the world. Flags from many of those countries, past and present, will be displayed Saturday. A Ceremony of Oneness is scheduled for 2 p.m., where the national flags will be placed under the pole displaying the American flag. State Rep. Alex Ybarra will be the speaker.

Art, Wine and Brews is scheduled for 5 to 8 p.m. at the public market, 1004 F St. SW. About 10 local artists will have displays in the market, and the restaurants, brewery, winery and coffee shop will be open. Tickets are $25 per person.

St. Paul Lutheran Church will hold a worship service at 9 a.m. Sunday at the Pioneer Church on the QVHSM grounds.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.

Quincy Hometown Harvest Fest Events

Friday: B Street Family Block Party, 5-8 p.m.

Saturday: Celebration of Culture and Harvest, noon-4 p.m., Quincy Valley Historical Society and Museum

Art, Wine & Brews, Quincy Public Market, 5-8 p.m.