The city’s annual Harvest Festival and Carnival anchored a jam-packed weekend of festivities in Piedmont Park that started Friday night with a movie and newcomers party and a car show on Saturday. The 26th annual Festival landed on the first day of fall this year, a beautiful Goldilocks, blue-sky day that once again filled the city’s downtown with families and visitors. The Festival is hosted by the city and schools and powered by volunteers and supported by sponsors like longtime participant Village Market. The city’s public works crew worked nonstop to keep up with all the activity in Piedmont’s main green space.
Music, food trucks, an edibles contest, and scarecrow creations drew the crowds. The Piedmont Education Foundation said in a social media post that the Carnival and Scarecrow Alley raised over $28,000 for the elementary schools, the largest amount in Harvest Festival history. This year’s scarecrow theme was “Storybook Characters” — the creations are auctioned off the day of the event.
Two boys admire a Wizard of Oz themed scarecrow 
“Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” by the Beach 3rd Grade class 
A youngster admires the Hungry Caterpillar 
Max, King of the Wild Things 
“The Gruffalo” by the Havens First Grade class 
Anticipation for the cake hop winner announcement 
One of the treats at the cake walk 
Friends make art at a craft station 
Creating lego cars to race on the track 
Carnival games in the parking lot of the Piedmont Community Hall 
Activities and tables at the Piedmont Community Hall patio 
Cathy Glazier with Parks and Projects Manager Nancy Kent at the Piedmont Beautification Foundation Table
Nagisa Yamamoto and Michelle Roos at the DBFL booth 
Village Market owner Keith Trimble with his sons 
Food options were plentiful 
The Puckett Family Project performs
The 2024 Harvest Festival Edible Contest saw a 20% increase in submissions over last year, according to event organizer and Festival co-founder Susan Hill. Volunteers Lilla Wells, Alex Slatoff, Carolyn George and Susan Hill coordinated the event, which received 165 entries this year.
Dorinna Mendoza and Jamie Austin won the Bill Drum Award for the highest number of blue ribbons and received a $60 gift certificate from ACE Garden Center.
The Marinelly Family won the Sweepstakes Award for most categories entered and received a $40 gift certificate from Village Market. (See a full list of category winners below.)
Preserved goods, honey and a bread at the Edibles tables 
A most Unusual Fruit submitted by the De Young family 
Carolyn George with her ribbons for lemon curd and pesto and Gregory Slatoff with his ribbons for dill and shaker pickles 
A father and son take a peek at the Most Unusual Vegetable and Fruit table
Pesto (six entries): Carolyn George, Kudrat Kontilis, Marinelly
Salsa/guacamole/hot sauce (nine entries): Monica, Stan and Nico Riddle; Sid Gudal, Marinelly
Pickles (two entries): Chris Free, Greg Slatoff
Pickled vegetable (eight entries): Greg Slatoff, Alex Slatoff, Alex Slatoff
Chutneys (five entries): Marinelly, Susan Hill, Lauren Thompkins
Apricot Jam (four entries): Susan Kai, Rob Kobal, Dorina Mendoza and Jaime Austin
Mustard/Tapenade (five entries): Katy Gabby Vosburg, Alex Slatoff, Marinelly
Strawberry Jam (seven entries): Marinelly, Lauren Tompkins, Marinelly
Plum Jam (four entries): Lauren Tompkins, Chris Free, Rob Kobal
Specialty Jam (six entries): Susan Kai, Rob Kobal, Carolyn George
Sauce (five entries): Kudrat Kontilis, Susan Hill, Alex Slatoff
Biggest Tomato (two entries): De Young Family, Susan Hill
Biggest Pumpkin (two entries): Isla and Louisa Bogert, Kerr Family
Curds (three entries): Alex Chan, Alex Slatoff Dorina Mendoza and Jamie Austin
Honey (three entries): Marinelly, Eleanor Bailey, Marinelly
Biggest Zucchini/Squash (four entries): De Young Family, Ceccarelli, Kerr Family
Most unusual fruit (seven entries): De Young Family, Marinelly , Marinelly
Most unusual vegetable (five entries): Sid Gudal, Marinelly, Kerr Family
Compost (three entries): Marinelly, Rob Kobal, Kerr Family
Vegan baked goods (four entries): Dorina Mendoza, Echa Schneider, Halen Brady
Granola (seven entries): Alex Chan, Singer Family, Kerr Family/Zoe Zuni
Fruit Pie (three entries): Kerr Family, Marinelly, Marinelly
Other pie (four entries): Carolyn Pan, Alex Chan, Alex Slatoff
Sweet Bread (six entries): Nikkola Yuen, Lauren Huang, Alex Slatoff
Savory bread (six entries): Ann Lin, Marinelly, Marinelly
Plain Bread (two entries): Kerr Family, Zoe Zuni
Cookies/Cupcakes/Brownies (four entries): Riddle Family, Arrietty Pereira-Elliot, Zoe Zuni
Dessert bars (two entries) Alan Chan, Liz Arney
Cakes (six entries) Alex Chan, Ruby Mowat, Marinelly
Apple Sauce (two entries) Dorina Mendoza and Jamie Austin, Alex Slatoff
Other Mixed Fruit Jam (four entries) Rob Kobal, Claire Faughnan, Rob Kobal
Fruit butter (three entries) Dorinna Mendoza, Claire Faugnan,Marinelly
Jellies (four entries): Marinelly, Marinelly, Zoe Zuni
Dried fruit (three entries) Chris Free Zoe ZuniAlex/Greg Slatoff
Gluten free (five entries): Alex Slatoff, Dorina Mendoza and Jaime Austin, Samantha Vosburg
Alcoholic beverages (four entries): Dorinna Mendoza and Jaime Austin, Steven Bailey, Ceccarelli
Ornamental: Susan Hill, Bonnie Bonner, Alex Slatoff
Carnival games 
Creating lego cars to race on the track 
Playing a game of Over/Under 
A young girl enjoys a slice of watermelon 
An urban beekeeper chats with a customer