Family Favorite Harvest Festival at the Littleton Historical Museum
Some communities offer a social season filled with fancy balls and benefit galas; in Littleton, social season is Fall, and one of the “not-to-miss” events is the annual Harvest Festival at the Historical Museum.
Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and a recognized affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, Littleton’s historical museum is a true treasure that should not be missed or overlooked. In addition to spectacular a rotating gallery, a fine arts gallery, and a permanent gallery that exhibits a comprehensive look at the history of Littleton and the surrounding areas, the museum features 40 acres surrounding beautiful Ketring Lake with two 19th century living history farms.
Museum staff and volunteers can often be found working the 1860s or 1890s farm sites, dressed in period clothes, they work the fields and gardens, prepare food in the historically accurate kitchens, run the working blacksmith shop, or teach school in the one-room schoolhouse. The museums farms are a right of passage for thousands of area school kids each year, and the museum’s event calendar is chock-full of events for families to enjoy throughout the year.
The most popular of these events each year is the annual Harvest Festival, held on the second Saturday each October. Celebrating its 36th year in 2024, this event is run by museum staff and sponsored by the Friends of the Library and Museum. Featuring an 1890s style carnival, wagon rides, interpretive stations, photo opportunities, live music and great refreshments, there is something for everyone. Plus, participants can purchase their Halloween pumpkins from the 2-3,000 that will be on site that day.
Each year, the museum grows between 1-2,000 on the 1860s farm and brings in an additional 1,000 or more from a pumpkin farm east of Brighton. Any leftover pumpkins remain available for purchase for the next week, and then the rest are turned back into the soil to fertilize next year’s crop.
Attracting 8,000-10,000 people each year (unless the weather is really lousy), this event sees the most visitors from outside of Littleton and has become a regional favorite for many families. Much of that has to do with how the event has evolved over the years. So many of the traditional favorites remain from the mid-1980s, such as the wagon rides, while new educational programs and interpretive centers have been added to give the event even more depth and offer something relatable to every age.
This event is absolutely worth adding to your family’s autumn traditions, rain or shine – it’s a ton of fun!
(this blog post has been updated from an article that first appeared in Southwest Littleton Living Magazine, published by Best Version Media, in October 2022)