Mountain Harvest Festival in Paonia celebrated its 25th anniversary this past weekend. For KVNF, Laura Palmisano brings us an interview with Festival Director Lillia McClure about the origins of the event and what's changed over the years.
Palmisano: And what is Mountain Harvest?
McClure: Mountain Harvest Festival is a Paonia tradition. It started in the year 2000 and skipped 2020 because of COVID. It started as an album release party and has turned into a full-blown art, craft, and music festival that attracts people from all over the region.
Palmisano: Is this the first year Mountain Harvest has had live artist demonstrations?
McClure: No, this is actually the second year we've done it. So last year we started the live artist demos, and this year we just wanted to continue it because it's such a cool tradition. We expanded, so we have glassblowing, which was what started it last year, and mural painting. And then we have an interactive coloring zone. And this year we added bookbinding and basket weaving and plant [dyeing]. And then there's a couple of booths like [Paonia] Clayworks that [do] their ceramics, and they kind of demo throughout the [weekend].
Palmisano: Why have artists showcase their process at a festival like this?
McClure: So my favorite thing about Harvest Festival is that it's an arts and crafts market. And we have such incredibly talented people here in the valley and in our area that we wanted to showcase and show people the process of how our artisans create their work. I believe that it creates a connection between what you can buy and how people make it.
Palmisano: What is the harvest component of Mountain Harvest Festival?
McClure: Great question. So we also highlight our farms and wineries and cideries. Right now, a lot of them are open for farm tours in the valley, and tomorrow, Sunday, we have a farmers market. So they come in and they sell, you know, everything they've grown, which is a little tricky this year because we had such a dry and hot year. That's kind of the connection is that we have the orchards, the farms, the wineries and cideries. And everybody is showcasing their bounty.
Palmisano: And what's new this year at Mountain Harvest?
McClure: What is new this year? We did expand our artist demos. We have a contra dance going on right now. That's new. I think we're always getting bigger and more expansive.
Palmisano: And you've seen a lot of growth, let's say, in the past five years?
McClure: Oh yeah, definitely. The Creative Coalition took it over five years ago and it has grown tremendously since we took it over.
Palmisano: Is it also a fundraiser?
McClure: The merch sales and the alcohol sales, those go back to the Creative Coalition to fund this whole project. It basically pays for itself. We charge vendor fees and then sell things. That all pays for the festival.
Palmisano: And what is the Creative Coalition?
McClure: The Creative Coalition is an arts collective that started and has turned into a kind of a business growth collective for the valley. So it promotes and supports creatives to build their businesses and be able to market and share their talents with the world.
Palmisano: Is there anything else you want to add?
McClure: I just want to say that it is such a privilege to serve our community in this way and to create this space for people to come and showcase and enjoy and relax. It is such a gift to see this every year just blossom out of the park and become a whole village, and it's a beautiful thing to be a part of.
