by Michelle Sproule | So the 3rd Annual Strathcona Harvest Festival went down over the weekend. There was scarecrow and spider making, potato sack racing and a pie contest – a really great pie contest. Scout was there (we dig pie), and it was a grand day. The community members and volunteers that came together to make it all happen really did a fine, fun job, making it feel as if autumn was arriving not with a droop and a sigh but a smile. More info and plenty of photos after the jump…

The Harvest Festival Vision

“Summer is such a busy time and often we don’t get to see our friends and neighbours as much as we’d like. With the arrival of Fall, we can celebrate reunions and continue to build friendships within the community that will help keep us cozy throughout the coming months of cool.

The Harvest Festival is a multi cultural, all ages, free community celebration where everyone can join in the festivities, sing and dance to the music of local talent, play some good old fashioned games, enjoy feasting and spend a fun filled afternoon with old acquaintances while having the chance to make some new ones. Having a sense of community in this big city is just as important for those who have lived here for years, as it is for any one who has just arrived in this neighbourhood or this country. The Strathcona Harvest Festival is assisted, supported and organized by several families, friends, local businesses & organizations and in this way many people of all ages, backgrounds and interests are contributing to the building and celebration of our diverse community.

This year we would like to focus on sharing knowledge and skills to sustain & feed our community, to encourage healthy living and to honour and respect the world around us. We will be raising funds to support the many food programs at the Strathcona Community Centre where up to 200 children are fed nutritious food each day.”

To that end, the following community groups set up some info tables:

• The Vancouver Fruit Tree Project
• Environmental Youth Alliance
• radha yoga & eatery
• Village Vancouver Transition Initiative
• Strathcona Dental Clinic
• School of Chalk
• DTES Neighbourhood House
• EWMA
• Pomegranate Midwives
• Community Arts Council of Vancouver
• Carbonicity
• PEDAL
• The Dispensary
• VACC
• The Living Medicine Project
• Left Coast Naturals
• Vancouver Public Library