It’s not quite the 30th anniversary we were hoping for Harvest, but Harvest 29½ has a charmingly whimsical ring to it. The festival will the pushing ahead with an annual celebration of community and music this September in a format that should spare you from the crowds and any dangers of people speaking moistly.
Determined to show their love for the downtown business community Harvest has put together a 3-hour online presentation using a combination of archival footage of past Harvest performances, new performances from local artists and Harvest favourites, and special appearances from eight would-be headliners had Harvest’s 30th anniversary gone as planned.
“We needed a way to support local musicians, the local music industry and our downtown business partners and this special event is a way to achieve all of that while still respecting the new reality of COVID safety protocols,” says Harvest programmer, Brent Staeben. “Our first priority this summer has been to lay the foundation for our rebirth in 2021 but we knew we also needed to step out and provide some significant value for the funders who have helped us stay
alive in 2020.”
Harvest 29½ will be streamed for free via the festival’s YouTube and Facebook pages, and so it can be enjoyed from anywhere, but organizers note that there will be many viewing parties that might be enjoyed from many of Fredericton’s local restaurants and pubs.
Festival organizers say that they are confident that the festival will return in 2021, thanks to the support they have received.
“Because of the support offered by the City of Fredericton, Canadian Heritage, and TD Bank and the TD Ready Commitment, not only can we assure our fans that Harvest will be back in 2021 but they’ve also allowed us to put together this event and the surrounding activities we expect it to generate,” says Staeben.
Organizers say they’ll be looking to engage with the community with a few more surprises to keep the experience as close to the real thing as possible.
“The big event might be online, but we still want it to feel a little like ‘Harvest week’ here in downtown Fredericton. Our staff and volunteers have been working hard to make that happen. Watch our social media for more details!”
Harvest’s virtual celebration starts 7:00 pm on Saturday, September 19th.
For those looking forward to Harvest 2021, the festival has partnered with downtown businesses to make Ultimate Passes available for contesting. From September 13th – 19th, what would be Harvest Week in Downton Fredericton, patrons will be able to submit their names for a 1 in 50 chance to win.