Popular Harvey Harvest set to celebrate 21 years

Snells Park will be transformed into a smorgasbord of entertainment and family fun this weekend when the annual Harvey Harvest Festival returns for its 21st anniversary.

Harvey Mainstreet president Joe Capogreco said what started out as a community event run by a small group had grown into a giant that required more than eight months of planning with a full-time coordinator.

“It has grown immensely and is probably one of the premier festivals in the South West,” he said.

The festival was launched in 1998 and attracted about 3500 people, but now attracts closer to 15,000 people.

The famous grape stomping competition is set to return, along with crowd favourites Tarrabelle Murphy and Rusty Hammond from Zap Circus and Italian musicians Tony Bandera and Michael Barbaro.

“If you want to come with the kids, we have a free kids zone where the young kids can do all different activities for free, it won’t cost parents anything,” Mr Capogreco said.

“There’s a petting zoo, slippery slides, bouncy castles and merry-go-rounds and more.”

Festival vice-chairman David Marshall said he was excited about the event and described it as an opportunity for locals and visitors to sample “a little bit of Harvey on one day.”