Families and visitors of all ages are invited to celebrate the season at Greenwich Historical Society’s annual Fall Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 10, from 12:00 noon to 3:00pm.
This year’s festival honors the history of the harvest season in New England. The historic Cos Cob campus will feature live bluegrass and swing music by Too Blue, cups of cider, a mashed potato bar with all the fixings, and family-friendly crafts and activities inspired by the season’s natural bounty.
New this year, and included with festival admission, are guided tours of the Bush-Holley House, which highlight the experiences of David Bush and his family during the American Revolution.
Contributed photo: Greenwich Historical Society
Annual Scarecrow Building Competition
The festival’s signature event returns as participants build and dress scarecrows to compete in five categories: Best Overall, Most Fashionable, Most Traditional, Most Creative, and Judge’s Choice.
For the Most Fashionable category, entrants are encouraged to draw inspiration from the Historical Society’s current exhibition, Fashioning America: 250 Years of Greenwich Style.
“We are so excited to see the scarecrows take inspiration from the stylish ladies and fashions in the exhibition,” said Kathy Craughwell-Varda, Director of Preservation & Collections and Senior Curator in a release.
All scarecrow materials are included with the purchase of each scarecrow frame, and participants are welcome to bring their own clothing and accessories to make their creations unique. Judges will award prizes at the end of the event. Prizes have been donated by Clay Art Center, Wildacre Rotisserie, Il Pastaficio, Athena Books, Greenwich Cheese Company, Roost Coffee and Kitchen, Little Pub, and other local businesses.
Fashioning America: 250 Years of Greenwich Style
Festival visitors can also explore Fashioning America: 250 Years of Greenwich Style, on view through January 10, 2027. It is the third and final exhibition in the Historical Society’s series celebrating America’s
250th.
The exhibition traces the evolution of American fashion over two and a half centuries and shows how changing styles have reflected shifts in American society and culture, and how the ideals of the Declaration of Independence continue to shape national identity.
Most pieces come from the Historical Society’s own collection, and many are on public view for the first time. They are joined by loans from local museums and by clothing from local women who shared garments marking important moments in their lives.
Greenwich Historical Society is located at 47 Strickland Road, Cos Cob. For more information, to purchase tickets, or to register a scarecrow, click here.