Kelly Kenoyer
Sweet Home’s 2020 Harvest Festival was a resounding success, according to city officials.
At its peak, the festival had 700 visitors, with approximately 2,000 throughout the day visiting to hear music, pet donkeys, and participate in a cornhole contest.
“The weather was perfect and the new playground was a hit,” said the festival planner, Angela Clegg. “We did have some lines due to the COVID-19 restriction of 250 attendees per event, and the line moved at a steady pace.”
Between the various contests and fundraisers, the festival raised approximately $4,500 for the families of Zach Maynard and Kennedy Swenson, the two young victims of a jetski accident in the summer.
Clegg added that the chili contest, which donated proceeds to the families, sold out within an hour. The new playground at Sankey Park was filled with joyfully playing children throughout the day, Clegg said.
For the pie contest, Hannah McCluskey won the amateur youth category, Kelly Kenoyer (yours truly) won the amateur adult category, and Taylor Ferguson of Taylor Made Cakes and Pastries was the professional category winner.
In the chili cook-off, Michelle Hampl won the Judge’s Choice award, Eli Olson and Debbie Walvatne won the People’s Choice award, and Michelle Hampl won the Grand Prize.
The Road Maggots biker club held a 50/50 raffle and Donna Dysinger won.
Ken Simons won the best motorcycle contest. For the cornhole tournament, Bob Gallup and Jamie Robb took first place, with Michael Gonzales and Jack Sell in second, and Johnny Wendel and Stanley Fisher in third.
To Clegg, a major highlight was seeing all the kids in costumes and “cute facemasks” enjoying the new play equipment at the park, and seeing “the community coming together on a beautiful fall day.”