Kenyon College’s Brown Family Environmental Center (BFEC) will once again host its annual Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 15, from noon to 4 p.m. The free event will take place on the 610-acre nature preserve at 9871 Laymon Road, and is open to the general public.
The festival will feature alpacas from Road Runner Rascals Alpaca Ranch in nearby Licking County, hay rides and pumpkin decorating. Two food trucks will be present; Zapata’s Street Food will serve delicious empanadas, while Tabouli Cafe will serve Mediterranean food. Additionally, there will be a pumpkin roll, sack race and a three-legged race along with other fun activities for children. Members of the dance department’s “Contact Improvisation” class will present their pieces, and student bands will play music.
This is the first year since 2019 that the entire Knox County community can participate, as events in 2020 and 2021 were limited in scope to lessen the potential spread of COVID-19. BFEC Post-Baccalaureate Fellow Emma Coffman, a 2022 Kenyon graduate, is excited that the whole community is invited to participate in the festival. “It really is meant to be a community event that brings people together,” she said. “We’re really excited to have that opportunity to provide that space for that interaction.”
There will also be art to purchase from an art exhibit in the multi-purpose room. The pieces are done by plein air painters who meet weekly at the BFEC. Coffman is eager for a wider audience to see their work and emphasized that the festival is for the community. “I really think that because of what we’re doing, it’s going to bring people together in a fun, light-hearted way to bond over things that everyone can enjoy,” she said.