The Main Street Beautification Committee started the festival in 1971 to raise money to revive a downtown that was starting to decay. With pumpkin patches all around, they organized an old-fashioned harvest festival. The first one drew 30,000 people.
It is held on a weekend in October between Miramontes and Spruce Streets, and there is no admission charge. About 250 artists and craftmakers show work. All the food is sold by community nonprofits and runs from pumpkin pie and pancakes to Brussels sprouts, artichoke hearts and Portuguese linguisa sandwiches.
Proceeds have funded two parks, scholarships, old-fashioned downtown street lights, the underground wiring of Main Street and the renovation of City Hall.
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