Haven Fall Festival includes many traditions, and some new first-time events and vendors
Olivia Bergmeier
A burst of color filled the Haven skyline on Saturday morning. Bags of pigment thrown into the air rained on Haven residents as they began the first Haven Fall Festival Color Run.
This year, the Haven Fall Festival included more than 20 parade floats, 25 vendors and almost the entire Haven population, with more than 1,000 attendants who visited Kansas Avenue to participate in a variety of activities as pancakes sizzled on grills outside of the Haven Senior Center for the Booster Club Breakfast.
Each year, Haven has a few staples for their fall festival, like Richardson Tree Service's Ping Pong Drop and the Pie Eating Contest by First National Bank and Carriage Crossing, but this year they added something new to transform an old tradition.
Haven's first color run
The Haven Recreation Commission partnered with Haven Grade School to sponsor a color run at 8 a.m. on Saturday — 43 participants ran either a one-mile loop or a five-kilometer track around the town.
In past years, the Fall Festival hosted a five-kilometer run, but with diminishing attendance, the Haven Recreation Commission looked to add something fresh to the activity. Haven Grade School's physical education teacher, Jared Hett, approached board member Shauna Pearce with the idea.
"I just helped facilitate and put it all together, Jared had the idea, and I was the workhorse behind it," Pearce said.
Hett encouraged his students to participate, thinking the Fall Festival would be a perfect fit for them to get involved and be active.
"I'm excited to talk to my students on Monday and ask them about the run. They looked like they had a blast today," Hett said.
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New Vendors on Kansas Avenue
Two new vendors joined the festival, a craft vendor, Balance Queen Boutique owned by Ashton Bennett, who is a Haven High School alumna, and a new food vendor, TnT Hallow Meats owned by Shannon Hallowell, a Haven resident.
Bennett founded her store in November of last year, beginning by selling clothes and jewelry from her home through her website and social media channels. The Haven Fall Festival was her first time attending an event as a vendor.
"It's been really fun, a learning experience definitely, but I think I'd like to do more in the future," Bennett said.
TnT Hallow Meats began early this year, but according to Hallowell, he had been smoking meat for years beforehand. The stand sold everything from smoked deviled eggs to brisket tacos. Hallowell said the stand was so popular that by the end of the event he was nearly sold out.
"It's been so busy, we're sold out of brisket, I've got ribs and nachos left and that's it," Hallowell said.
A festival by the community, for the community
Haven Fall Festival Director Vicki Myers continued her involvement this year and recounted some of her favorite things about the Fall Festival and the community's involvement.
"I do love the parade," Myers said, "I just really love how the community all comes together, works together to provide a day for everyone to have fun and just enjoy each other."
Haven local, Dylan Yoder, visited the Haven Fall Festival since his youth because he attended Haven schools and participated in the Haven High School Marching Band. Yoder graduated from Haven High in 2020.
"As it becomes more well known, more farmers in the area decide to take the day off and come to Fall Fest. It's a great thing because it expands the culture of the people here, and it really adds to the sense of community," Yoder said.
Saturday night featured the Rice County Line band from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on the main stage and concluded with a fireworks display by Kapow Fireworks at 9:30 p.m.
The Haven Fall Festival spanned Oct. 8 - Oct. 10. Saturday held the majority of events with Friday night including a kick-off featuring the Llew Brown Band and Sunday hosted an all-city volunteer clean-up beginning at 8:30 a.m. with a 10:30 a.m. church service at Pioneer Park.