What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 2, 2021 WHAT'S UP! 5 Pumpkins Aplenty Silver Dollar City celebrates harvest of crafts, music, food and fun BECCA MARTIN-BROWN NWA Democrat-Gazette W hen you carve a pumpkin, the light — bringing with it warmth and joy and welcome — shines not only from the luminary but from the creator, says master carver Barry Brown. He might mean the craftsman — or he might mean THE Creator with a capital "c" — but either way, Brown sees jack- o-lanterns as more than just a messy kitchen in the making. In his third year at Silver Dollar City's Harvest Festival, Brown shares his own joy in creating, teaching and capturing history, all to bring a light to the darkness of the coming winter. So does Angie McGuire, who also makes luminaries, but hers are fashioned out of anything she can cut with a plasma cutter. And that's just the beginning of an event that is built around traditional crafts, nontraditional foods and the light of a $500,000 "pumpkin expansion." "Silver Dollar City is a place for families to gather and create memories," says Kelly Eutsler, visual design manager for the 1880s-style theme park. "So, our Harvest Festival is designed to appeal to the toddler in the family, the grandma, and everyone in between. The experience combines the beauty of the harvest season with the glow of beautiful and fun carved, lighted pumpkins. "The large icon pieces of Pumpkins in the City, such as our three-story Pumpkin Greeter or our 12-foot tall cat — all made from dozens and dozens of pumpkins! — make the littles of the family laugh, and the beautiful carved pumpkins nestled in beds with bales of straw and mums are eye candy for mom," she explains. "Fun music streams in all around, there's something on the menu to tempt everyone's taste buds, and dozens of amazing crafters are visiting us. "Autumn is my most favorite time of year, and the Harvest Festival with our added layer of Pumpkins in the City has become my favorite festival," says Eutsler. "It's an immersive experience for everyone." Sweet And Savory "Every festival has a theme to center around, and obviously with Harvest Festival and Pumpkins in the City we look at food that fits into the fall time of year and, of course, pumpkin," says Sam Hedrick, director of food and beverage for Silver Dollar City. "This festival, like other festivals, I like our staff to be creative and look for new ways to engage with our guests through food." That means research and lots of taste testing, Hedrick says. "The two key elements are always 'does the item taste good' and 'is it appealing to the eye'," he explains. "Is there a unique presentation or a 'show' element to how the item is made or served? We want our guests to taste great food, but we also want the experience to be part of the product as well. "Harvest Fest and Pumpkins in the City has gravitated in the past to the sweet side as pumpkin goes naturally with sweet items," he continues. "This year, we have found that guests want to be more adventurous in their dining experience and are eager to try new As part of Silver Dollar City's 60th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee, a $500,000 "pumpkin" expansion has brought even more pumpkins, new bigger-than-life pumpkin sculptures and more lighted pathways featuring spectacularly hand-carved designs to the annual Harvest Festival. (Courtesy Photo/SDC) See Harvest Page 6 FAQ Harvest Festival WHEN — Through Oct. 30 WHERE — Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo. COST — Tickets start at $74; a Tasting Passport may be added for $30 INFO — 417-336-7100 or silverdollarcity.com WHAT DO YOU THINK? Silver Dollar City has created an entire menu of pumpkin-inspired dishes for fall. What sounds good to you? nwaonline.com/924Pumpkin COVER STORY