Coming Right Up: Somerville's Harvest Fest 2010

By Anne Vickman

Non-profit Somerville Local First is helping pave the way for backing community business, culture, and food by organizing Harvest Fest this Saturday, the second annual one-day celebration of all things local. (Last year’s sold-out event saw about 1,000 attendees, so we’ve scoped out what you need to know ahead of time.) Founding executive director (and Somerville resident) Joe Grafton started SLF in 2008 “to build a sustainable community and an economy that is local, green and fair.” But why Somerville? “Somerville is full of people in the creative economy and artists,” he explains. “If you think about places that can be models of change, it almost always includes a strong creative class and a strong group of artists who live and work there.”

Tickets range between $20 and $70, and at both sessions you can expect unlimited craft beer, wine, and cider samples, 10 “bites” from local restaurants like Foundry on Elm and Redbones, a photo booth, and massage chairs.

Session One: 1 to 5 p.m.
Performances by acoustic rock quintet One Fine Morning and Precinct Bar regulars Sea Monsters. Between sessions, self-described “indie/folk/experimental” trio Errantry will play an acoustic set, and Silent Storm will be hosting a silent disco (yes, silent disco) march around Somerville.

Session Two: 6 to 10 p.m.
DJ set by Weekly Dig Editor David Day and a fashion show with vintage duds from Poor Little Rich Girl and Artifaktori. The headliner will feature the dubstep-cum-visuals duo Zebler Encanti Experience, while aerialists from several different studios will be performing high-flying acrobatics alongside. [Ed note: We tried our hand at an aerial arts class in our September issue-check it out here]

So who benefits, exactly? Locals do, of course. “This is an opportunity to raise money to continue our work in the community,” says Grafton. “At the end of the day this is a fundraiser for us. But even if we make zero
dollars in profit, it’s really about throwing one of the best parties of the year in the city. Last year, everyone had a great time — that says something about local.”