HarvestFest Debuts Saturday on Springfield Avenue

This Saturday, October 31, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Springfield Avenue Partnership introduces a new event to the community, the Healthy HarvestFest and Harvest Walk.

The Harvest Walk will start at the Hilton Branch of the Maplewood Library (1688 Springfield Avenue) at 11 a.m. to kick off the festival. Festivities will take place over the entire length of Springfield Avenue (see attached map and the list below)—from a hot dog eating contest and live music at one end (Coney Island Grill) to stilt walking, balloon sculpting and live music at the other end (@ Ricciardi Home Decorating).

In between, visitors will find live music at the Hilton Branch of the library, Verjus restaurant and East Side Fitness (the site of the old 99 Cent Globe).

Halloween costumes are encouraged and the Maplewood Rotary will be on hand giving out pink and white candy.

The HarvestFest and Harvest Walk are the culmination of a month of events on Springfield Avenue to help support Breast Cancer Awareness Month and raise funds for breast cancer research, as well as promote the commercial district to shoppers. One business owner, Fatisha Hutchins of Salon Fa at 1921 Springfield Avenue, is even donating a human hair wig to a  cancer patient.

To pique excitement, the Springfield Avenue Partnership solicited a paint donation from Ricciardi Brothers and labor from a construction business in Parsippany to paint a pink stripe down the length of Springfield Avenue. More than 200 pink ribbons have been affixed to trees along the Avenue.

Mayor Vic De Luca will be at the event. Breast Cancer Awareness is near and dear to his heart. De Luca lost his mother to breast cancer three years ago.

The complete schedule of Harvest Fest events includes:

• 11:00 -1:00 Exodus Supreme @ Coney Island Grill corner of Boyden, 1546 Springfield Avenue
• 11:45 – Until, Hot Dog Eating contest @ Coney Island Grill, 1546 Springfield Avenue
• 11:00 – 3:00 HLS Juice Bar, $1 donated to SAVE Charity for every Strawberry/Banana Smoothie sold for the month of October, 1859 Springfield Avenue
• 11:00 – 3:00 Police Car/Fire Truck/EMS @ Police Station
• 11:00 – 3:00 Registration/Education/Donation Station @ Hilton Library, 1688 Springfield Avenue
• 11:00 -- 3:00 Free goodies/giveaways @ Jazzberries, 1677 Springfield Avenue
• 11:30 – 1:30 Big Jeff and the Bouncy Boys @ Hilton Library, 1688 Springfield Avenue
• 11:30 – 3:00 Face Painting @ the Hilton Library, 1688 Springfield Avenue
• 11:30 – 2:30 Stilt Walker/Balloon Sculpting starting @ Hilton Library and strolling the Avenue, 1688 Springfield Avenue
• 11:00 – 3:00 Mammography Bus @ Verjus, S.A.V.E. Representative with informational material @ Verjus, 1790 Springfield Avenue
• 11:00 -- 3:00 Woolley Fuel Antique Truck @ Meineke, 1796 Springfield Avenue
• 12:00- 2:00 Nicole Hart and the NRG Band @ Verjus, 1790 Springfield Avenue
• 11:00 -3:00 Sister to Sister Representative with informational material @East Side Fitness Parking Lot
• Face Painting @ East Side Fitness Parking Lot, 1873 Springfield Avenue
• 11:00 – 3:00, Registration/Education/Donation Station @ corner of Prospect St.
• 11:00 – 3:00 Pumpkin Painting @ Express Yourself Studios, 1912 Springfield Avenue
• Arts and Crafts @ Round Table, 1921 Springfield Avenue
• 11:00 – 4:00 Anniversary Celebration/Artist Signing of special Breast Cancer Print @ Astah’s Gallery,1897 Springfield Avenue
• 11:45 – 12:15, Polka Dot the King of Kiddie Rock and Roll @ Ricciardi Home Decorating, 1925 Springfield Avenue
• 2:00 – 2:45 Polka Dot Returns @ Ricciardi Home Decorating, 1925 Springfield Avenue
• 11:30 – 2:30 Stilt Walker/Balloon Sculptor starting @ Ricciardi Home Decorating and strolling the Avenue, 1925 Springfield Avenue
• 3:00 – Until? Dance Yourself Skinny Dance Party @ Stories in Motion, 1874 Springfield Avenue 
• 4:30 -5:30 Preventative Breast Health and Wuming Qigong @ Shakti Yoga, 1861  Springfield Avenue
• 5:00 – 9:00 Haunted House/Trick or Treat Walk @ Cha-Mai’s  Hair Salon, 1876 Springfield Avenue