The Knox City Council members held a lengthy discussion Tuesday night concerning seed money for the 2015 Harvest Festival.
A request for $2,500 was made by Mayor Rick Chambers to front the organization money just to cover initial expenses. The money will be returned once revenue is received.
Councilman Greg Matt questioned the need for the Harvest Festival and wondered if that money could be better used for the WoodStarke Festival scheduled this fall in Wythogan Park. He believes that the WoodStarke Festival better fits the vision of what the city has in the proposed five-year comprehensive plan. WoodStarke promotes music and the arts in the community.
Council members Ron Parker and Linda Berndt thought that the city should give the Harvest Festival another try as the community event hadn’t been offered in a couple of years. They stated that they had heard from a number of residents asking when the Harvest Festival would return.
Mayor Chambers said the festival is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 19 and Sunday, Sept. 20. The event will open with a parade at 10 a.m. on Saturday and entertainment and activities downtown will continue through the weekend.
The council ultimately unanimously approved the request to give the Harvest Festival $2,500 to help with costs.
In a Harvest Festival committee meeting yesterday, a volunteer offered to head the parade committee, and volunteers are being sought for the Harvest Festival King and Queen contest. For more information about volunteer opportunities, call City Hall at (574) 772-4553.
