Harvest fest is a music festival that happens each year at Harmony Park, located in Geneva, Minnesota (South-Central part of MN). It has been going on for over 10 years, however I have only attended the last four years. There is plenty to do in this special place. See below…

LINKS: Harvest Fest | Wookiefoot | Harmony Park | Marshall Lee (archivest)

THE VIBE: Above all, it is about the family. The gathering of the peoples; young, old, many different colors, and from many different places. Coming together in peace, to welcome each other with many hugs and large smiles. Now I am not just blowing sunshine up your ass here. People really do go out of their way to help other's out. They strive to meet new people, and really do respect others, and the land they camp on. Upon entering the park do not feel strange if people say “Welcome Home”. A person you do not know might help you carry stuff from your car to your campsite. Someone else might ask to help you set-up your tent. While photographing in the campsites, I have been offered food, drinks, a seat at the campfire, been told stories, given items, and received countless hugs. It is more then just the music, although the music will move you. There is an energy in this place, coming from the ground, the trees, the animals, and every other soul that is at this park. You make a difference. Do what you can to meet others. You next best friend might just be at the neighboring campsite. Or maybe the person you will marry is dancing in the bowl.

MUSIC: The weekend is like a band sampler. From about 11 am till 2 am each day you can take in non-stop, live music preformed on two stages. From a technical standpoint, they have a great sound set-up and professional concert lighting. In the past four years I have enjoyed the following types of music… Jam Band, Reggae, Bluegrass, Funk, Rock, World, Folk, Acoustic, Soul, Jazz, Blues, Brass, Drumming, and others. You can go up to the ‘bowl' and plop down your blanket or lawn chairs in front of the stage. If you wish, you can stay at your campsite, where the live music gently winds its way around the glorious oaks to fill the background.

WOOKIEFOOT: The headlining band and producer of this festival for the last four years. They bring it all together, and then they light the match and move away to see what flies on this on weekend filled with fun. Not only are they a talented and socially couscous band, but they also put on a show that one will not soon forget. From elaborate sets, aerialists, stilt walkers, fairies, belly dancers, magic, fire dancers, flame blowers, many support performers, and new surprises each year. They get the crowd worked up whether you are up front amidst the throngs of people, or off to the side sitting by the communal campfire. I personally would be happy if my ticket was for just this one show. So it is a great surprise that you get so much more music throughout the weekend.

DANCING: Get off your ass and dance! Does not matter what you look like. There is no right way to dance to this kind of music, so there is NO way you can make any type of fool of yourself. Even though I am taking photos up on the stage, I have to dance, so you may even see me shakin my grove thing with camera in hand.

THE PARK / CAMPING: Here is a description from the Harvest Fest website, “This is the most magical fairy forest in all the land !! The Harmony playground is on a lake with giant oak elders providing shade and shelter for the whole campground. It is surrounded by farmland hence the name "Harvest", which has been a tradition for years. This sacred site has been a place for the live music community to gather and befriend one another around campfires and under majestic stars. Harvest Festival for many of us is our last summer shindig and we come to play with our festi-family one last time before winter..... come play with us !!”

Tents are set up on the grass under the oak trees all throughout the park. There are no real “sites” unless you paid for one of the electrical hookups. Fresh water is available. There is also parking for a limited number of RV's, both electric and non-electric. A large lake to take a swim, go canoeing, or go wading out on the sandbar used by many generations (back to the Native Americans) to transverse the lake on foot. Ample porta-potties located in different spots around the park are cleaned each day to keep the fest fresh. First aid area is available in case of any accidents.

FOOD / VENDING: During the festival there are a number of food and product vendors that set-up around the park. If you don't feel like cooking a hot-dog over your campfire, head down to the ‘bowl' for anything from brick oven baked pizza, to a fry bread taco. There are also some ethnic foods available that are quite tasty. The coffee wagon makes an appearance during the fest, and can easily be found each morning by the long line of tired campers eagerly awaiting their caffeine fix.

Also lining the outer ring of “the bowl' is a row of product vendors. You can fine jewelry, musical instruments, toys, clothing, stones & gems, crystals, art, incense, glass, and of course, band merchandise. All for fair prices.

KIDS: A kid zone is set-up for the entertainment of kids (and the kid in all of us). Arts & crafts, kids yoga, magic carpet rides, games, fairy-wings, bubble wands, prayer flags, puppet shows, flying monkeys, parades, jump castles, play-hut mania, art cars, and many other activities for kids of all ages. There is also a family camping area. Both of these areas are alcohol and drug free areas.

PARADE: Each year on Saturday afternoon there is a parade that starts in “the bowl” and snakes its way throughout the campsites. Everyone is welcome. People who dress up in costume fill the walkways. It is a wonderful flow of happy energy. One year they even had a 40 piece marching band start the parade. You never know what to expect.

FIRE: Thanks to the Illumination Fire Troupe, the park is aglow with fire rituals. A main staple of the fest is the Saturday late-night show after the main-stage music has ended. However each night you can see fire dancers spinning throughout the campground. This is something to see.

VISUAL ARTS: Whether on stage for Wookiefoot, or as a sideshow of performance art, many artists display their wears at the festival. Some even create their art during the weekend. I saw a group of people painting a large van one of the days, someone was getting a traditional tattoo, another person doing henna. Hair wraps, photography, painting, drawing, poetry, body painting, glow stick art, black light art. Then there are the decorated campsites. For those that have an electrical outlet, you see great set-ups of Christmas lights, rope lights, and other assorted décor.

HEALING CIRCLE: There are many talented healers that attend the festival. You can spend some one-on-one time with them and get a massage, reiki, and other types of body energy alignment. You have to work out what type of trade or payment is needed with each healer. However, hugs are always free.

GIVING TREE: What is in a giving tree... You don't have to join in at all, you just have to be willing to give as much as you take (from the tree and everything else). The giving tree is labeled; a large oak on the East side of the ‘bowl'. On the ground you'll find a vast assortment of treasures brought by some, found by others, etc. Before you can take something, just remember to leave something. Check through your house before you head out for items you care to give. Can be new or used (usually not food). You can leave more then one item, and you can take more then one item. I usually put out things throughout the weekend. Every time you go to the tree there is something different there. Too bad life is not like this.

FINAL NOTE: Quoted from the Harvest fest website…

“The size of Harvest Fest allows for individuals to share their magic and make a big impact on the whole. It was here that Wookiefoot got its first opportunity to "Make Believe" with the crowd. The overwhelming joy created sparked a nationwide tour bringing fairies, fire, drumming, and prankstering to festivals all over. The response has been amazing... but we have always felt that sooo much more could be done !!!.... Hence the merging of Harvest Fest and Wookie Fest. With the keys to the gate we can now pull off anything and everything imaginable. Over the years we had many performers.... from fire rituals, free healing arts center, sheet dancing, Native American traditional drumming and chanting, a marching band, Alice in Wonderland tea party, parades, spiral dancing, labyrinth work shop, 3-D black light painting station .....and ...on...and....on. We are asking you to bring your magic and share your gifts with the family !! The vision of everyone bringing something of personal meaning and value to give to a brother from another mother or a sister from another mister is HIGH HIGH !! What's your gift ?!??!?...Drumming, singing, food, message, bubbles, hugs, stones, crystals, jokes, dance, jewelry, fairy wings, stickers, costumes.... whatchu got ?!?!

Harmony a real peaceful connected home vibe, where in we draw each other's love energy out and the entire scene bursts with hugs and smiles. In maintaining this vibe we invite artists with positive energy who are mostly from nearby towns and states. This way we keep it more local and get to bond with our neighboring festi-families.

WELCOME HOME ! ”