A bounty of fresh fruits, veggies, pies, bread, jam, honey, and candied apples will greet visitors of the third annual Harvest Festival in Dolores on Saturday, Oct. 10.
There will also be a treasure trove of artwork and crafts for sale – from custom leatherworks and weavings, to homemade jewelry, books by local authors, and custom paintings.
“New this year is live music by the Tomlynns, a local husband-and-wife duo who sing harmony and play the ukulele and guitar,” said organizer Rocky Moss, of the Dolores Chamber of Commerce.
The free event is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Flanders Park. The Tomlynns will play noon to 2 p.m.
Hamburgers and brats will be cooked up by My Lady of Victory Catholic Church. And the Dolores Booster Club will be selling its famous bread bowls full of fresh chili stew as part of a fundraiser.
A record 27 vendors have signed up for the event so far, and there’s room for more, said organizer Ruby Gonzalez, who came up with the idea for a new Dolores festival after her sister held a similar harvest festival in Monte Vista.
“Ours is getting quite big, and attracts hunters in the area and people driving through touring the fall colors,” she said. “Vendors love it because there’s no fee.”
Vendors will arrive from Farmington, Grand Junction, Pagosa Springs, Yuma, Ariz., and Blanding, Utah.
“It’s a fun atmosphere with a lot to offer,” said local artist Valerie LeRoy. “There’s a lot of fresh produce from area farms, and you get to see locally made artwork.”
She makes hand-woven cotton towels, and hand-woven textiles made from recycled bags. Nearby will be Yuma sewing artist Debbie Honaker, who makes wall hangings, place mats, quilts and dyed T-shirts with pockets.
“My grandmother taught me how to sew when I was 8, and I’ve never stopped,” she said. “She was a painter, and working with different fabrics is kind of similar, but more abstract.”
John Kelly will be there selling his leatherworks, and Sumner Peterson will have a booth tempting the crowd with caramel apples from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.
“We’ll have 12 varieties and flavors, ones for kids and ones for adults for the kid inside them,” Peterson said. “It’s a perfect celebration of fall.”
Heather Raisor, of Blanding, makes aprons out of Blue Bird flower sacks, and she’ll be selling novels by her husband, JD Raisor, an author.
“He writes fantasy novels,” she said. “It’s our first time for the event and we’re looking forward to it.”
To sign up for free vending, stop by the Dolores Chamber of Commerce, or call Ruby at (970) 882-7717.
jmimiaga@the-journal.com
