“Moab doesn’t always feel like fall, and this event creates that atmosphere,” said Jessie Shalvey, outreach and development coordinator for the Youth Garden Project. She’s excited about this week’s YGP Harvest Festival.
“It’s a celebration of community and being in a garden space this time of year,” she said. “It’s for all ages and a fun way to meet your neighbors and learn more about the garden.”
The Youth Garden Project’s fifth annual Harvest Festival will occur on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the garden (530 S. 400 E.). The free event is open to the public. It provides the community with a fun night out and helps raise awareness of the YGP mission to “cultivate healthy children, families, and community through educational programs and connecting people with food from seed to table.”
YGP grows approximately 3,000 pounds of food annually, with 20% of that donated to the community. Food plays a significant role in the garden’s day-to-day operations and the festival, which has no shortage of exhibitions and contests celebrating the harvest season.
The Blue Ribbon Produce contest, a staple of the event, will return with various categories and new judges. The YGP and the Utah State University Extension have partnered to bring a formal element to the contest—judges from the university and funding for a cash prize for the biggest, most impressive carrot.
In addition to the carrot category, local gardeners can enter homegrown produce to win prizes for the best classic fruit or vegetable, best floral arrangement, rarest fruit or vegetable, and largest melon or squash. Gardeners and non-gardeners alike are encouraged to enter their “best veggie creature,” where participants can create a crafty creature from produce they have grown or sourced from the grocery store.
Another favorite part of the event, the jam, hot sauce and pie competition will welcome a new category: homemade pickles. All Harvest Fest attendees will have a chance to sample each submission and vote on the winners. Aside from viewing and sampling all of the contest submissions, there will also be plenty of food available throughout the event. Games for all ages, including Carrot on a Stick and Donut on a String will offer sweet and crunchy snacks and laughs.
The event’s menu shows how staff tries to incorporate feedback every year. The highly popular Garden Nachos, a plant-based option introduced last year, will return, thanks to YGP produce manager Sarah Bowen. Bowen creates the menu every year and is focusing on the veggie-packed nachos with garden ingredients that were a huge hit in 2023. Hit from last year, including southwest street corn from regional producer Early Morning Orchards and a variety of mini-pies, will also be available for purchase.
Shalvey said Bowen does “an incredible job planning and preparing for it, most of it with help from volunteers.” Bowen also cooks for other events that the YGP hosts throughout the year.
Another new activity, “Solar Printing,” has been added to the list of activities for kids and adults alike. The craft, which uses materials from the gardens to make prints using the sun, continues the science/nature theme that has worked well in the past. And anyone familiar with the YGP resident garden cat, Butternut, can expect a new game that honors the feline.
While joining the activities, sampling foods, and connecting with the community, attendees can enjoy live music — this year YGP’s executive director Emily Roberson will join Eric and Mike Toninelli as they kick things off on the main stage, followed by local favorite The Butch Cassidys.
“If you’re free on September 21, don’t miss out on this opportunity to come together as a community and remember how special Moab is, how unique the garden is, and how it fits into the community,” Shalvey said, “and if you plan on entering the Blue Ribbon Produce Contest, you can submit your entry a week before the event.”
For more information, or if you’re interested in volunteering for the Harvest Festival, contact Jessie Shalvey at jessie@youthgardenproject.org or 435-259-2326.
