A two-day festival in New London, Harvest Star celebrates local agriculture, the arts and the opening of New London Food Cooperative, a community-run grocery store on Main Street.
The festivities kick off Friday night with a performance of TABLE from Sod House Theater at The Land in Spicer, a delightful culinary and theater experience showcasing fine local produce and artistry from Krewe Restaurant's Chef Mateo Mackbee alongside captivating performances by talented actors.
Saturday begins with a puppet parade leading to the Harvest Market in Neer Park, featuring cottage producers, farmers, artisans, small businesses, boutiques, artists, caterers, food vendors, local nonprofits and volunteer groups. As the day goes on, festival goers can enjoy live music, starting with guitar phenom, blues acoustic singer songwriter Severio Mancieri, vocal jazz duo Lily Water's Jazzy Jubiliee, five-piece alternative rock band Grim Lot and favorite local cover band, the Dam Jammers!
Organized by Erik Hatlestad and Bethany Lacktorin, Harvest Star grew out of the duo’s desire to bring agriculture center stage to the town’s annual fall festival, which they felt lacked a connection to food and agriculture. Erik summarizes, “Using local mythmaking and community organizing, we're telling the story of local foods and agriculture in a creative, modern way that helps reconnect our community to the critical role agriculture
plays in their lives.”
Erik comments, “New London is becoming known for our focus on local agriculture. Almost 10 years ago Goat Ridge Brewing Company opened in New London - which has focused on brewing "beer from here" and promoting local music, culture and community-building. Following that the New London Food Co-op has worked for over six years to bring a grocery store back to the New London Community. The co-op's focus has been to work with local farmers and Farmers Union to highlight the value of locally-sourced products in our community. Finally, the Little Theater Auditorium has helped tell these stories in new and creative ways.” He continues, “Goat Ridge, New London Food Co-op, and the Little Theater even worked together to launch a beer brewed with Kernza®, the emerging perennial wheat. We see major opportunities in the future for growth in terms of the local foods market in New London, as well as new ways to tell the story of agriculture. In short - we are succeeding through values- based community cooperation and organizing.”
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