We have lived in this community for twelve years. And for the past nine, our little town has celebrated the return of the harvest season with a magical day of community, art, and autumn.

It’s a highlight of the year, as we all come together to laugh, march, and play.

Being in a community for this many years, you are a witness to the passage of time. Photographing this year’s event, I noticed young adults whom I first photographed as adorable costumed kids, not so many years ago.

Lupine was not yet four the first time she marched. This year she’s almost 12.

Oh, time.

Our community comes out in force for the Harvest Parade each year, and together we celebrate autumn and the spirit of this special little town with giant puppets marching down Main Street, alongside unicycles, stilt walkers and our local marching band.

It’s one more layer of this magical place we call home.

And for a town of this size (4,600), I’d say it’s pretty fabulous.

Each year as I watch the parade go by I am reminded of why we moved here. And I smile until my teeth are dry and my cheeks are sore.

Post parade we gather in our town’s favorite park beneath the oak trees for music, conversation, fire dancing, and food.

And every year I sit back, smiling, and soak it all in. And I think to myself: this place. This place is home.

No place is perfect. Every community and every geographic location has it’s own set of drawbacks.

But this town?

It’s about as close to perfect as you can get.

 

A special thanks to all of the volunteers who make this annual celebration possible! Learn more about the parade (including more photos from past parades) here.

If you’d like to see past parades, I’ve written about the parade in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2017.