When you think of fall, you think of leaves turning, the weather changing and the days growing shorter. But for tens of thousands of people in Kentuckiana and beyond, fall means the Harvest Homecoming Festival. This popular event recently celebrated its 54th festival with a new milestone. For the first time ever, a husband-wife team oversaw the planning, preparation and staging of the Harvest Homecoming. Yes, you read that right. As if they don’t have enough on their plates raising four children, ages 8, 10, 12, and 14, Kenneth and Deanne Eichenberger served as President and Chairman respectively. And despite the hard work and long hours, they love everything about the annual celebration.
The Eichenbergers grew up in the area—Ken is from New Albany, and Deanne was raised in Floyd Knobs. They’ve been involved in helping with the Harvest Homecoming for some 20 years. Before that, Deanne remembers her high school days when she would babysit for families who were involved in putting the event together. Little did she know her own family would one day be running the show.
Harvest Homecoming is the perfect example of a win-win situation. Not only does it bring people together, but it raises money to give back to the local community in a myriad of ways. Several local high schools make a point of scheduling their reunions at this time, so alumni can celebrate with their classmates and the community at large.
As for the fundraising, this year the festival had 29 separate events. The colorful parade kicks off festivities the first Saturday in October. The following Thursday through Sunday are the booth days. The theme of this year’s parade was “A Fall Fairytale,” and what a fitting theme it was. “To be a husband-and-wife team guiding the festival was a dream come true,” says Kenneth. “Dreams go with fairytales and that goes with fall, so it all fit together.”
One of the most amazing things about Harvest Homecoming is that it’s completely run by volunteers and relies 100% on them and the sponsors. Some 210 different companies, churches and nonprofits rented booth space this year. Many of these nonprofits make the bulk of their yearly income through their participation. While the booth entrance fees help cover overhead costs, they only fund about a third of the festival. The rest of the money comes from generous sponsors and donors.
And back to that win-win scenario. Many of the funds collected are given out in prize money during the various events. This year some $15,000 in scholarships went to local students, and another $10,000 was awarded during competitions such as the cornhole tournament, the dog show, the baby contest and kid’s pageants.
There’s also the live music and of course, the food booths. According to Deanne, the perennial favorites are pork chop sandwiches, the chicken ‘n dumplings and the original donut booth. And dare we forget the persimmon pudding that the Altrusa Club has been selling for 40 years. “This year the booth sold out. People just love it!” she says.
In addition to prize money, the festival also donates to groups that regularly offer a hand in the staging of the event. For example, a Boy Scout troop helps set up the fencing and a church group comes on booth days to clean up the trash. It’s hard to imagine a better model for a community event. Kenneth estimates this year they drew more than 100,000 people. “At one point,” says Deanne, “cars were stopped on the bridge, and they had to call in the police to help keep the traffic moving.” Now that’s a good problem to have!
Harvest Homecoming is designed with families in mind. All four of the Eichenberger children pitch in throughout the year, helping to maintain the festival office in various ways. Kenneth says they couldn’t have gotten everything accomplished without their help. Volunteering is also a yearly tradition for many area families who have been involved for literally generations.
In addition to always being on the hunt for more sponsors, Kenneth is a strong believer in the saying, “Many hands make light work.” So he’s also continually looking for new volunteers. “We would love new families, new individuals, new students. We have work to do for anyone from a couple with a newborn to a 99-year-old in a walker,” he explains.
Kenneth also welcomes anyone or any group that wants to host an event and is open to all ideas. In fact, he’s already been approached about a fishing tournament, a billiards tournament and a bowling tourney for next year. And he’s got something tasty in mind. When the festival first started, it had a pumpkin pie eating contest. Kenneth says he’s seriously considering bringing that back. Sounds like a winner to us!
For more information on the festival, go to https://www.harvesthomecoming.com/
