Change is in the air. Kids are going back to school, it’s getting dark earlier, and the Lions Club is hosting a new fundraising event. The field in front of the town library will look like a bit of Bavaria for Volksfest 2016 on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 3 to 10 p.m. (rain date Oct. 1). There will be food and drink, a bed race, live music, dancing, craft exhibitors, and games for kids—truly a festival for all people. Nat Beale, chairman of the event, said it will be the “closest thing to a block party Harvard’s ever had.”
Beale said he and his committee have been working on the volksfest idea since last fall. The Lions Club wanted to break from the two-day fall festival it had held for so many years. Members felt that event had become expensive for families, and they wanted to do something simpler, keep the costs down, and be able to pass on all of the revenue from the event to the numerous charities and community activities the club supports. This year admission and entertainment are free, and the food and drinks will be reasonably priced. There will be designated parking; cars should go down Pond Road and be directed to a spot.
Beer garden, German food
A beer garden will transform the field. Among the items of German food on the menu are bier bratwurst mit sauerkraut, pfeffer, und zwiebeln; schnitzel und pommes frittes; and, a favorite with kids everywhere, spatzel und kase. Beale said the committee had a bratwurst tasting where a panel of 12 blindfolded judges all picked the same winner from among the five choices. “People will not be disappointed,” said Beale. Dessert features apple crisp from Carlson Orchards. The committee wanted to support local businesses, so there will be Carlson’s cider, hard cider on tap from the Harvard Cider Company, and Apple Ice wine from Still River Winery. Other wines will also be available. A variety of draft beer will be for sale, including Octoberfest from Jack’s Abby, Dark Element (usually not available on tap), and Dockside Porter from Still River Brewery. Beale emphasized that this is not a BYOB event due to the Lions’ liability.
What promises to be the highlight of Volksfest 2016—Harvard’s inaugural bed race—will be held from 3 to 4 p.m. The course is the Bromfield driveway. Teams of five people may bring their own bed or use one of the three Lions Club beds for a $25 donation. There is no entry fee for those who bring their own bed, but a donation is greatly appreciated.
Bed race participants must register—the application and complete set of rules are on the Harvard Lions Club website. Safety is a priority. Applicants must be 18 years old; 13- to 17-year-olds need parental consent. Of the five-member team, four will push the bed (no motorized devices allowed) and one will lie, sit, and perhaps steer the bed. Pushers need to be in costume, and the in-bed person needs to be clad in pajamas and wearing a helmet.
Pajama game
While details are still being worked out, it is possible that at some designated spot in the race, the bed will stop and the person in bed will get out and exchange his or her pajamas for the outfit of one of the pushers. Then the race will continue. The race will be in heats with beds racing side-by-side, two at a time. The winning team will get a trophy and bragging rights.
Although a link on the site claims that bed races are an annual event in many small towns, there seem to be only two in Massachusetts, in Yarmouth and Newburyport. In its past, Harvard has been known for its unusual groups and activities, so perhaps future generations will hear about bed-racers in addition to Fruitlanders, Holy Hill Shakers, and Doomsdayers.
At the conclusion of the bed race will be a stuffed animal parade. Children are encouraged to bring a new stuffed animal to donate to charity. They will march with their animals across the field hockey playing field to the Volksfest kids area at the library. There they will find yard games and various arts and crafts. Young children are welcome in the play area of the beer garden at any time.
Live music featuring local groups begins at 4 p.m. with Wendy Darling and the Lost Boy. The Orbiters, featuring Liz Rainoldi, will play at 5:30, with The Sage Project at 7 and The Tom Yates Band at 8:45. David Henderson, who plays drums in two of the bands, is supplying sound equipment and lighting for the stage. In between groups there will be background music appropriate to a German Oktoberfest.
Craft exhibitors will be set up around the field for the duration of the event.
As with any first-time event, there has been a lot to work through, said Beale. He hopes more people sign up for the bed race and that the weather cooperates. Beale makes the day sound like great fun—the start of a new fall tradition for the volks of Harvard.
