The Fruits of our Labor, Pawnee’s Successful Harvest Festival
Colorful lights begin to twinkle as the sun starts to sink down. Laughter and music fills the air. The decadent scents of freshly popped corn and deep fried funnel cakes wafts through on the breeze. Pawnee’s Harvest Festival has just begun.
A considerable amount of preparation went into making the Harvest Festival as successful as it was. Leslie Knope — director of Pawnee’s Parks and Recreation Department — did a good amount of planning at JJ’s’ Diner, claiming she ordered hours worth of waffles at a time.
“The Harvest Festival used to be one of Pawnee’s most successful and celebrated traditions,” said Knope. “All of us at the parks department want to make sure this festival brings Pawnee just as much pride as it used to.”
Historically, Pawnee’s annual festival brought thousands of Pawneeans and locals from surrounding towns to participate in the celebration.
Local businesses were invited and encouraged to rent booths and stands at the festival. The partnership between small businesses and the local government has been so beneficial. Pawneeans and visitors alike were able to enjoy their favorite foods and shop for specialty goods, all while raising funds for the parks department to develop community assets in Pawnee.
The crowd-favorite snack came from the Sweetums stand. The classic Sweetums cotton candy graced the crowds that flowed through the park. Will Parker, an elementary student at Pawnee, chimed in as to why cotton candy was his favorite.
“The cotton candy was the size of a basketball!” Parker exclaimed. “It’s also my favorite color, which is blue. It tastes good too!”
The entertainment at the Harvest Festival did not leave the crowd wanting for anything. During the first night, local band Mouse Rat hit the stage to share their original rock songs. Mouse Rat drew a sizable crowd. Andy Dwyer, the lead singer, was thrilled to have such a good audience.
“The Harvest Festival was our biggest crowd ever,” said Dwyer. “Me and the guys were so stoked to see everyone out there, especially Li’l Sebastian. I mean, what an honor.”
The second and final night of the festival was headlined by Pawnee’s very own Duke Silver. Silver drew an even bigger crowd than Mouse Rat. The saxophonist’s faithful fans attended to hear their favorite melodies flow from Silver’s soulful instrument. Duke Silver did not want to comment on the performance.
Despite these great performances, the real star of the show was Li’l Sebastian. Pawnee’s favorite miniature pony graced his pen for the crowd to gaze, feed, and pet him. Li’l Sebastian donned a bedazzled coat sponsored by Pawnee’s leading nightlife scene, the Snakehole Lounge. Li’l Sebastian has been, and always will be, an icon in Pawnee. Jean Ralphio, a local Pawneean, shares his passion for the famous miniature pony.
“He’s such a beautiful little horse,” Ralphio stated. “He’s always been the star of Pawnee. I think I’m going to buy him.”
The Harvest Festival was only successful because of the people that made it great. The parks department could’ve organized the event, collected businesses, found entertainment, but without the people of Pawnee showing up, it would’ve failed.
It’s because of the people showing up to celebrate Pawnee and support local businesses that the Harvest Festival was successful. It wouldn’t have happened without the people.
Pawnee’s City Manager, Paul Iaresco shares about the success of the Harvest Festival.
“The Harvest Festival brought so much pride back to Pawnee.” Iaresco shared. “The entire city is excited to see what the parks department will do next.”
The parks department has plenty of ideas! With the support from our community, we’re excited to introduce a number of programs and projects. We’re grateful for our local Pawneeans and we want to give back to you!
In regard to programs, we’re introducing a few new events. Starting in the spring, the parks department will be hosting a flea market and antiques pop-up. Local vendors can bring their collections. Also, we’ll host an historian from our local university to assess heirlooms and share their history and value.
By next summer, the department will have a youth astronomy program organized. The course will move from park to park, complete with equipment and seminars that share the history and background of famous constellations. The program will be a great opportunity for Pawnee kids to get involved in our city.
Our final program that we’re introducing is an environmental club. The club will meet once a month to discuss the latest environmental news, both local and global. The club will also organize community betterment events by serving Pawnee. This is an awesome way for people of all ages to learn about the environment, how it’s changing, and how they can play a role in making it better for themselves and those around them.
The main project the department is focused on is updating our local parks. We would love to hear your ideas on how to renovate our parks to the interest of our community. We can explore trails for hiking and mountain biking, a new public pool system, or a tennis court. The department wants to know what would be best for Pawnee.
We want your feedback! Please consider joining our next town hall meeting. The department meets with the public the evenings of the first and third Mondays of eve, starting 6:30pm at City Hall.
Pawnee’s Parks and Recreation Department is committed to making Pawnee a beautiful place for the community to learn, experience nature, and grow together. We strive for top-notch facilities and community enrichment programs that bring new experiences to Pawnee. Thank you, Pawneeans, for making this endeavor so enjoyable.
