HarvestFest in Hillcrest cancels fall festival due to COVID-19

Fall festival HarvestFest in Hillcrest will not be held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This would have been the 26th year for HarvestFest, which has served as one of Little Rock’s most popular annual events. The festival was originally set for Oct. 24 in the historic Hillcrest neighborhood.

Festival organizers said they are committed to bringing HarvestFest back in 2021.

“This was a hard decision, but it was the right decision,” said Steve Shuler, chair of the HarvestFest committee. “We know how much Little Rock enjoys HarvestFest. We also know that large gatherings just aren’t safe right now. Ultimately, we realized that holding the festival at all would likely result in a large crowd that put the public’s health at risk.”

For the last two years, HarvestFest in Hillcrest has enjoyed record crowds of more than 25,000 people and has donated more than $50,000 to charity. Charity partners include The Allen School, which works with special-needs children up to age 5 to help prepare them and their parents for kindergarten. The festival has also supported the PTSA organizations at Pulaski Heights elementary and middle schools, as well as several neighborhood improvement projects.

“We are deeply saddened that we will not be able to support our charity partners like we have in the past,” said Shuler. “It has always been a source of pride for us that HarvestFest gives back to the community.

The HarvestFest committee has not yet set a date for the festival’s return in 2021.