Mountain Harvest Festival
The
Board of Directors of Mountain Harvest Festival offers heartiest
congratulations to Kids Pasta Project for a highly successful year of
service to our community. You have set an example that we and others
try to follow. We too have had a successful year of service and herein
present ourselves to you as a candidate for your Building Bridges
Service Award.
Mountain Harvest Festival (MHF) strives to strengthen the community, empower groups and individuals, and build bridges between different people and groups through a yearlong process culminating in the September festival. MHF is a non-profit that supports other non-profits, just like KPP. Each year we have extended our outreach to include more and a greater variety of individuals and groups in our terrific community.
MHF is all about COMMUNITY. It was conceived as a way to bring together and celebrate our local agriculture, music, arts, and service organizations. This year, we celebrated our eleventh anniversary and once again served up a diverse program intended to highlight and support, economically and otherwise, the many talents of those living in our valley.
Our big annual event, The Mountain Harvest Festival held at the end of September, has grown through the years as we have encouraged more members of the community to become involved. This fun event is an easy way for non-profits and service organizations, artists of all kinds, farmers and ranchers, local businesses, and individuals to come together to celebrate and serve our community. We do the organizing so others may profit. We think the festival brings together the most diverse group of people of any event held in Paonia. They range from churches to coal mines, environmentalists to entrepreneurs, arts organizations to authors, farmers to musicians, vintners to bankers, young and old, well-off and barely getting by, and many more.
A quick look at our 4-day event shows the diversity of non-profits groups that participated and raised money for their cause.
Along with hosting the festival, MHF awards a scholarship to a local teenager who is interested in learning about agriculture in the North Fork Valley. 2011 was the third year MHF supported the Teens on Farm Internship Program. We provided a $1500 scholarship to a student who worked on a Paonia farm and completed a successful internship. The value of our financial assistance grew by 50% this year, and we plan to continue to grow this program to support connections and learning opportunities between producers and teens.
MHF is proud to announce a new scholarship program that will provide funding for children and youth who wish to study music. The Howard Berkman Memorial Scholarship Fund will help young people purchase instruments, take music lessons, and participate in other music education activities.
Throughout the year, MHF supports various community activities. In June we were a partner with Gears and Beers, a mini-festival that included a street party that featured a family costume and bike parade. We put our advertising dollars to work supporting local enterprises such as KVNF and the Paradise Theatre.
Thank you for the opportunity to share with you our story. Here’s to a successful 2012 for both our organizations!
Mountain Harvest Festival (MHF) strives to strengthen the community, empower groups and individuals, and build bridges between different people and groups through a yearlong process culminating in the September festival. MHF is a non-profit that supports other non-profits, just like KPP. Each year we have extended our outreach to include more and a greater variety of individuals and groups in our terrific community.
MHF is all about COMMUNITY. It was conceived as a way to bring together and celebrate our local agriculture, music, arts, and service organizations. This year, we celebrated our eleventh anniversary and once again served up a diverse program intended to highlight and support, economically and otherwise, the many talents of those living in our valley.
Our big annual event, The Mountain Harvest Festival held at the end of September, has grown through the years as we have encouraged more members of the community to become involved. This fun event is an easy way for non-profits and service organizations, artists of all kinds, farmers and ranchers, local businesses, and individuals to come together to celebrate and serve our community. We do the organizing so others may profit. We think the festival brings together the most diverse group of people of any event held in Paonia. They range from churches to coal mines, environmentalists to entrepreneurs, arts organizations to authors, farmers to musicians, vintners to bankers, young and old, well-off and barely getting by, and many more.
A quick look at our 4-day event shows the diversity of non-profits groups that participated and raised money for their cause.
- the Blue Sage hosted the Harvest of Voices – a celebration of local poets and writers; they also sponsor a Chili Cook-off – bringing in the best of our local cooking talent.
- the Lambert Grange complemented the hot chili with cool, sweet pies
- the Library and Black Bridge Winery held a fun filled grape stomp that drew in contestant groups of all ages and backgrounds, and from as far away as Vail. The library also benefited from a successful silent auction.
- the Rotary Club served a delicious community brunch on Sunday – made from food harvested locally.
- the Kampe Foundation sponsored a Kids Activities Area in the park with high school student volunteers
- KPP, Montessori School, CAWS, Colorado West School, Blossom Valley School, United Methodist Women, and Assembly of God raised money for or awareness of their good works during the Harvest Bazaar.
- the Drink Locally Pavilion served locally-made beer from Revolution Brewery, and wine and juices from several local wineries and orchards.
- throughout the weekend, dozens of Western Slope musicians performed in the park and in the Saturday night concerts downtown.
- art galleries hosted openings and vendors with locally-made crafts sold their goods at the Harvest Bazaar.
- local growers showcased and sold their goods at the farmer’s market.
- local restaurants, hotels, wineries, farm stands and other businesses reported a great sales weekend.
- agriculture workshops were taught by several individuals.
- tours of farms were hosted by several farmers and others.
Along with hosting the festival, MHF awards a scholarship to a local teenager who is interested in learning about agriculture in the North Fork Valley. 2011 was the third year MHF supported the Teens on Farm Internship Program. We provided a $1500 scholarship to a student who worked on a Paonia farm and completed a successful internship. The value of our financial assistance grew by 50% this year, and we plan to continue to grow this program to support connections and learning opportunities between producers and teens.
MHF is proud to announce a new scholarship program that will provide funding for children and youth who wish to study music. The Howard Berkman Memorial Scholarship Fund will help young people purchase instruments, take music lessons, and participate in other music education activities.
Throughout the year, MHF supports various community activities. In June we were a partner with Gears and Beers, a mini-festival that included a street party that featured a family costume and bike parade. We put our advertising dollars to work supporting local enterprises such as KVNF and the Paradise Theatre.
Thank you for the opportunity to share with you our story. Here’s to a successful 2012 for both our organizations!
