Harvest festivals coming to city

There is a bounty of special events showing off the bounty of local foods.

With fall comes harvest, with harvest comes canning and smoking and pickling and with that comes eating.

In pioneering days, these were team efforts where families and communities would come together in autumn to get in the crops and process them into winter food supplies. In Prince George, there are two chances to gather as a big village and devour our all-local pantry in fine fashion.

The first opportunity is Saturday night when the Prince George Public Library holds its third annual Harvest Feast event.

"Join us for great food and local entertainment after-hours in the library," said library officials.

The place is being transformed to celebrate, display and serve this sumptuous banquet. This is a library after-hours event featuring food stations and local music. This fundraiser will raise money for children's play sculptures for the Knowledge Garden. There will also be a silent auction and cash bar. Tickets are $65 each. For more information visit www.pgpl.ca.

You'll have just enough time to recover from that horn o' plenty when the second is offered.

The Prince George Farmers' Market will host their first ever Harvestfest on Oct. 29 at the Civic Centre.

"We wanted an opportunity to celebrate the harvest and enjoying the bountiful food that is available in the north," said Philip Myatovic, president of the P.G. Farmers' Market Association.

"That's the key to the success of the market, and supporting local agriculture: a bountiful harvest. There's no better reason to celebrate, and to start working at building our market further."

Harvestfest will start out with a locally sourced buffet meal, including vegetables donated by Cariboo Growers Farm.

The evening will also include a silent auction, door prizes and will feature the music of P.G.'s own Jack Van Somer Band.

The long-term goal of Harvestfest is to raise money for the PGFMA's goal of a permanent location with expanded hours and ultimately food processing facilities as well.

Tickets for Harvestfest 2016 will be $65 each, or $60 if you buy in groups of four or more.

Tickets are available every Saturday at the Prince George Farmers' Market, located downtown on Sixth Avenue behind the Keg, open from 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.

For more information email [email protected] or call 250-981-7012.