The Fort Walla Walla Museum hosted the 17th annual Fall Harvest Festival on Saturday, Sept. 26 and Sunday, Sept. 27, in celebration of Walla Walla’s pioneer heritage. Bonnets, prairie dresses and overalls abounded as a corps of volunteers worked to entertain the trickle of guests with a simulation of life in the nineteenth century American West.
Events included demonstrations of pioneer crafts, musical performances and hot air balloon rides. An antique truck show was open to festival-goers on a lawn adjacent to the pioneer village and the sputter of old engines mingled with harmonica and banjo during the otherwise silent event. The size of the crowd hovered around one hundred people for most of the afternoon, with the biggest audiences at the blacksmithing workshop and the hot air balloon rides.
The blacksmithing station was manned by several volunteers who had studied pioneer methods of working with metal. Guests were invited to try their hand at making a horseshoe or fire poker, while the performers demonstrated how pioneers would have repaired a wagon wheel on the trail.
“I started learning how to repair wheels about five years ago,” said blacksmith Ron Krause. “I had done blacksmith work at previous shows and I got into contact with some of the guys from this area that used to do this for a living. I learned what I could from them, but a lot of it I had to learn by doing.”
Throughout the festival emphasis was placed on honoring frontier traditions. Most of the volunteer staff dressed in period costumes and operated out of the pioneer village. While the illusion was somewhat broken by the roar of the hot air balloon ignition and a taco stand near the center of the festival, many of the guests came with an interest in the antique crafts, such as the wood carvings or hand-knit quilts.
“I saw an ad for the festival and I noticed that there was a pioneer quilting demonstration,” said attendee Meredith Mitchell. “I do a lot of quilting myself, and since it was nearby I decided that I’d come check it out.”
On the other side of the event, an auto show hosted by the American Truck Historical Society’s Walla Walla chapter brought in a modest collection of old trucks, cars and tractors. The display included a 1924 Ford TT which was the oldest vehicle at the show and whose owner frequents shows throughout the Columbia basin. The auto show drew festival visitors who may not have otherwise attended.
“It’s my first time at the Festival,” said Chris Tash. “But this year my grandson has a tractor in the antique auto show so I thought that I’d come out to see him and check out some other events, too.”
Attendance was low at the weekend event, but most of the guests and exhibitors were just happy to be out in the sunny weather while it lasted.
“The [Farmer’s] Almanac says it’s going to be a long, cold winter this year,” said volunteer Nancy McCoembs, “so I’m going to make the most of our sunshine right now.”
