Harvest Festival to offer hayrides, cider and more at Rosie’s Park

MADISON HEIGHTS — Autumn is here, and to celebrate the season, Madison Heights is bringing back the Harvest Festival.

The event will take place from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11 at Rosie’s Park, 1111 E. Farnum Ave. in Madison Heights. Admission is free.

The festival is the spiritual successor to the Nature Center Open House that used to be held at Suarez Friendship Woods — later rebranded the Hometown Harvest, in partnership with Oakland County. That event has been on hiatus since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Madison Heights Department of Public Services Director Sean Ballantine and Recreation Supervisor Brendan Shiemke described the plans in a series of emails.

“We have freshened up an old event in a new location and are so pleased to be bringing this back for our residents,” Ballantine said.

There will be two hayrides running during the festival. Ballantine said one hayride will be a trailer drawn by a 1969 Ford tractor, while the other will be a smaller trailer pulled by one of the city’s utility vehicles. Both trailers will be stuffed with hay and lined with hay bales for seating.

“The old tractor is always a popular feature that just screams ‘hayride,’” Ballantine said.

The larger trailer seats up to 15 people while the smaller one seats up to 10. They will depart near the park building and take the north loop of the trail, touring the hardball field and passing through the oak stand at the north end of the park.

Cider and doughnuts will be available free of charge, provided by the Madison Heights Department of Public Services. There will also be food and drink sold by Hughes Hot Dogs and The Cracked Egg on Wheels.

A trick-or-treat trail with tables set up by different community groups and sponsors will offer candy and other goodies for the young ones. There will also be live music, a petting zoo, photo opportunities, and pumpkin decorating courtesy of the Madison Heights Arts Board.

“This event also incorporates our popular ‘Truck or Treat’ event,” said Ballantine. “We will have several DPS vehicles staged in the Farnum parking lot (for guests) to enjoy.”

The Harvest Festival is funded through program activity funds budgeted for the city’s Recreation Department, as well as sponsorships and private donations.

Ballantine said the event’s revival was borne of a desire by city staff to bring back a fall event for residents. He credits Madison Heights Streets and Facilities Coordinator Justin Kowalski with the original concept.

“The Harvest Festival is guaranteed fall fun, with activities for all ages,” added Shiemke. “Rosie’s Park is the perfect location. (The park) will have stunning fall colors.”

The festival is the latest in a series of events Madison Heights has hosted in recent weeks, such as the outdoor music festival Trail Tunes held Sept. 6 and the car show Revin’ in the Heights held Sept. 13, both at Civic Center Park.

Madison Heights City Councilman Quinn Wright is a representative with the city’s Human Relations & Equity Commission, which organized this year’s Revin’ in the Heights event.

“I think it was an incredible experience on display, and the turnout was simply wonderful,” Wright said. “One of the things we wanted was for families and community members to come out, and they did. The food was excellent. The National Guard was there with two military vehicles — a Hummer and a cargo vehicle — and we even had a Penske (Detroit) Grand Prix car.

“It was a huge success,” Wright said. “We look forward to doing it again next year.”