From best home-cooked food to best motorcycle and best mullet, the 18th annual Harvest Festival proved Sweet Home knows how to have a good time.
The City of Sweet Home celebrated its annual festival at Sankey Park on Oct. 5, ushering in more booths this year with 81 vendors who served up hot food, sweets, on-tap beer, handmade goods, and a variety of retail, nonprofit and business organizations.
As always, the Fall event also included fun competitions, activities for kids and live music (this year by The KOZ Band). It’s been said that every year city staff cross their fingers for good weather for Harvest Festival day; this year did not disappoint.
This was the first year the Sweet Home Public Library initiated its annual mullet contest for kids, drawing in six boys from the community who were ready to show off their long locks. Taking first place in the youngest division was 2-year-old Levi Watson, who calls his mullet “Party Time” and says he loves Sweet Home because it’s where he lives. Suspicions are that his father filled out the questionnaire.
In the older kids’ category, Henry Brewer, 10, won third place for his mullet, which he simply calls “Henry” because, as he explained it, it’s a part of him. Redhead Jace Gagne, 9, earned second place for his mullet named “Luscious.” He described his do as “Big Red & Beautiful” (“business in the front, party in the back,” he says). It was Jaxson Bateman, 10, who took first place for his “down home mullet” called “Beauregard.” He won a “Mullet Street” street sign and gift card to Bi-Mart.
This was also the first year the Road Maggots Motorcycle Group asked the community to decide which of their bikes was best and worst. Riding away with bragging rights for best bike was Brandon Hendrix, while JD McAfee earned the title for worst bike.
City staff Angela Clegg, who arrived at 4 a.m. to start setting things up for the festival, expressed gratitude for the volunteer efforts of the Road Maggots Motorcycle Group. The members host the annual Chili Cook-Off, which Clegg said she wouldn’t be able to pull off without them.
After judges for the competition get first taste, the community is invited to pay for a round of tastings from each of the competitors and offer their vote for best chili. Proceeds directly benefit the Sweet Home Kids Food Pak, which currently serves about 130 kids each week with backpacks filled with food for the weekend.
Six competitors entered the Chili Cook-Off competition this year, but clearly one of them stood out among the others. Jessica Hernandez walked away with all three trophies – People’s Choice, Judges Choice and Grand Champion – for her entry
“It’s an appropriate introduction into the Fall,” Judge Breanna Gaylor said of the experience after having tasted all six entries.
After judging each entry, the group lingered to talk about the different flavors they could detect, and compared the varied textures and spiciness of each chili.
At the other side of the park, near Weddle Bridge, was a well-rounded competition of pies baked by adults and children. After judges scored each pie based on visual presentation and taste, the remaining product was sold for $3 a slice.
Hosted by the Park & Tree Committee, the Pie Bake-Off competition consisted of nearly 30 entries this year, giving judges a challenging task and, likely, a full belly. In the fruit category, Janelle Arthur’s apple pie took first place, and the youth winner was Henry Mitchell for his blueberry pie. In the “other” category, Patricia Knippel’s lemon meringue won first place, while Luke Mitchell won for his chocolate Oreo pie in the youth division.
Proceeds from the pie contest go into funding for parks projects. Food and retail vendor registration fees are also dumped into the parks fund, with a current focus on the completion of Phase III at Sankey Park and restoration of Weddle Bridge.
