Festival success in damp downtown
Trick-or-treaters at a stop outside the Midd Bar on Sunday snag fruity soft drinks. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
Clark Sauve prepares to drop a token in the Plinko-like board outside Main Street Pizza in Gladstone. Depending on which final box the token fell after bouncing off pegs, people could win a piece of candy or a coupon for a free slice of pizza. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
Outside the Dewdrop Family Restaurant on Sunday was a station where kids could "fish for treats." They were invited to blindly cast a line over a short wall, behind which sat a few people who fastened treats to the end of their lines. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
An adult helps a trick-or-treater dressed as a banana and carrying a teal pumpkin — which is often used to signify food allergies — adjust the costume at the feet. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
Girls on scooters and a child dressed as Sonic the Hodgehog accompanied by an adult look at the "pumpkin patch" set up in a lot on Delta Avenue by Marenger Harvest Acres Farm. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
Certified therapy dog Legs, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, approaches the camera during the Gladstone Harvest Festival on Sunday. He and therapy-dog-in-training June (behind) were visited inside D&D Dog Dynamics, where they and many other area canines have gone through classes, during the Gladstone Harvest Festival. Greeting trick-or-treaters outside the door was Rip, another therapy dog and previous winner of the Daily Press Pet Idol contest. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
A woman dressed as Cruella de Vil makes a purchase at Yellow Dog Sourdough. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
Sunday's rain had slowed to barely a mist when setup for the first Great Gladstone Harvest Festival began in the afternoon. Here, Marenger's Harvest Acres Farm occupies the parking lot between Wally’s and Wild Bills Tobacco.
A tiny Spiderman in cowboy boots gets a boost to drop a token in to the prize board outside Main Street Pizza. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
A little pooch nearly finished with training to become a certified therapy dog keeps warm. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
A dog waits in a stroller while people nearby shop at the farmers' market at the Great Gladstone Harvest Festival. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
Trick-or-treaters at a stop outside the Midd Bar on Sunday snag fruity soft drinks. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
Clark Sauve prepares to drop a token in the Plinko-like board outside Main Street Pizza in Gladstone. Depending on which final box the token fell after bouncing off pegs, people could win a piece of candy or a coupon for a free slice of pizza. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
Outside the Dewdrop Family Restaurant on Sunday was a station where kids could "fish for treats." They were invited to blindly cast a line over a short wall, behind which sat a few people who fastened treats to the end of their lines. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
An adult helps a trick-or-treater dressed as a banana and carrying a teal pumpkin — which is often used to signify food allergies — adjust the costume at the feet. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
Girls on scooters and a child dressed as Sonic the Hodgehog accompanied by an adult look at the "pumpkin patch" set up in a lot on Delta Avenue by Marenger Harvest Acres Farm. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
Certified therapy dog Legs, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, approaches the camera during the Gladstone Harvest Festival on Sunday. He and therapy-dog-in-training June (behind) were visited inside D&D Dog Dynamics, where they and many other area canines have gone through classes, during the Gladstone Harvest Festival. Greeting trick-or-treaters outside the door was Rip, another therapy dog and previous winner of the Daily Press Pet Idol contest. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
A woman dressed as Cruella de Vil makes a purchase at Yellow Dog Sourdough. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
Sunday's rain had slowed to barely a mist when setup for the first Great Gladstone Harvest Festival began in the afternoon. Here, Marenger's Harvest Acres Farm occupies the parking lot between Wally’s and Wild Bills Tobacco.
A tiny Spiderman in cowboy boots gets a boost to drop a token in to the prize board outside Main Street Pizza. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
A little pooch nearly finished with training to become a certified therapy dog keeps warm. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
A dog waits in a stroller while people nearby shop at the farmers' market at the Great Gladstone Harvest Festival. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
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GLADSTONE -- The inaugural Great Gladstone Harvest Festival had a turnout that impressed participants and organizers, considering the rain and the fact that the Packers played the Lions the same afternoon.
During the Halloween-focused event hosted in the downtown business district on Sunday, businesses set up booths on the sidewalk, some invited people into their establishments, crafts were available, vendors were set up at the farmers’ market and live music played.
Children in costumes who trick-or-treated along Delta Avenue left with their bags stuffed with candy, stickers, fruit, toys and bottled drinks.
While setting up under gray clouds amidst a chill, some people expected the foot traffic to be milder.
"I made the rainy drive into the downtown and thought, ‘surely this is going to put a damper on the event,’ but surprisingly I didn't hear a single complaint,” said Downtown Ambassador Samantha Gaudino, who planned and coordinated the event. “Families continued to show up and embraced the rain.”
The activity was in conjunction with the release of two seasonal beers at Saunders Point Brewing: a spiced pumpkin ale called Gourd Dammit and a brew with watermelon and jalapeño named Spicy Little Side Piece. Both were made using ingredients grown at the Michigan State University Forestry Innovation Center in Hyde.
“I love autumn, and it is the one time of year that Gladstone doesn't really have anything going on. I thought why not start a new tradition for not only our community but also for the downtown businesses,” Gaudino said. "Saunders Point Brewing and Yooper Forestry were already planning a launch of a new pumpkin beer, so with their blessing we decided to piggy-back off of it and turn it into a downtown event."
With the Harvest Festival, she was aiming for “a charming, small-town experience that you can't get anywhere else,” Gaudino said, and “I think the downtown business owners hit that mark and then some."
As the event was the first of its kind in Gladstone, the Daily Press asked what might have been learned that could change future festivals.
“I think organizers and businesses learned to expect more people than we thought. Many ran out of candy or craft supplies before the end of the event, so a positive problem to have, but lesson learned!” Gaudino replied.
The city and Downtown Development Authority hope to hold the event again in 2027, a decision that will likely depend on whether the business owners are interested in participating next year.
Sponsors of the 2026 Great Gladstone Harvest Festival were Saunders Point Brewing, Yooper Fitness, Yooper Forestry and Marenger Harvest Acres. Gladstone Kiwanis volunteered.