Parents are invited to bring their children for fall-themed activities, games, crafts, and treats while exploring the market’s fresh local produce and goods.

“It’s a celebration for the children,” said Judy Schroeder, market manager with the Escanaba Downtown Development Authority. “We try to do some games and things to help them celebrate the day.”

Highlights of the event will include a costume contest and several hands-on activities.

“We have a printed pumpkin painting contest. We have a prize tree where the children get to pick a leaf and, based on the color of the sticker under the leaf, they get a prize. Everybody wins,” organizer Felicity Feathers said. “We’re going to have apple cider and coffee and then a potluck with harvest soup.”

This season has been a good one at the Escanaba Farmers Market. To celebrate, parents are invited to bring their children for fall-themed activities during the annual Harvest Festival from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Marketplace. (Submitted photo)

Assistant Market Manager Jessica Thorsen said one of the more popular activities will be corn diving for prizes.

“We went and got a kiddie pool, filled it with deer corn, and added candy and prizes. The kids can just go in and scoop stuff out and get prizes that way,” Thorsen said.

The Escanaba Farmers Market takes place each Wednesday and Saturday at the Escanaba Marketplace, at the corner of 15th and Ludington streets,and will wrap up its season Oct. 29.

“From my standpoint as a vendor, I think sales are up,” Thorsen said. “We had more produce vendors this year, and we’re getting a lot more new vendors. The market is starting to wind down — it’s October.”

Thorsen, who sells handmade goat milk soaps produced from goats she raises at the Yooper Farmhouse LLC in Escanaba, said up to 30 vendors have participated at the market this year.