Westwood’s annual Harvest Festival, an event where the spirit of fall comes alive with vibrant colors and entertainment, was held Sunday, October 27, from 2-5 pm at Westwood High School, bringing energy into the Blythewood community.
Harvest Fest was chaired by Alyssa Williams, Student Body Vice President. Williams has chosen to approach this year by choosing a delightful Charlie Brown theme for the Harvest Festival and a chili cook-off to attract a larger crowd to partake in the festivities.
Among the many attractions, a highlight of this year’s festival was the DIY haunted house chaired by Zamyias Price which brought thrilling and scary interactions between the attendees and the actors. Although there are festive attractions such as this haunted house, Harvest Festival comes with a purposeful mission to collect donations for the VA hospital—an initiative that aims to give back in a meaningful way to those who have served the country.
In a recent statement, Williams shared her view on the act of giving that Harvest Festival is accompanied by, “Harvest Fest was a way to invite the community out and collect donations.”
Dr. Rhoden, the assistant principal at Westwood High School, points out that the Harvest Festival serves as a crucial link in building connections among students, their parents, and even new community members who may not have had opportunities to meet before.
Dr. Rhoden adds, ¨It was a pleasure to watch students and parents tasting our chili and playing games to get treats/candy. The Harvest Festival was a great way to connect with the community to have fun.”
The Harvest Festival is an event restricted by the characteristics of a Halloween event, it is a time-honored tradition that pays homage to the successful yields harvested by farmers across the nation. Because of this, Harvest Festival can be enjoyed by others within the community who do not participate in Halloween.
During an insightful interview with Aniyah Foulks, a talented ninth-grade track student, expressed her gratitude for Harvest Fest being inclusive when she stated, ¨I think it was also a very inclusive event because not everyone celebrates Halloween so it was a really nice way to have everyone come together and be able to get candy without the Halloween label¨.
In its totality, this year’s harvest fest helped strengthen the community in various ways. From the festive displays, sweet treats, spooky entertainment, and cooking competition the festival brought everyone together in a spirit of gratitude and celebration.
