Amherstburg To Consider Future Of Harvest Fest

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The Windsor-Essex Harvest Festival may return in 2017, but this time it could be organized by the Town of  Amherstburg.

The festival was created 2016 to fill the void left by the cancellation of the Shores of Erie Wine Festival, and saw attendance figures of 4,834, with 24 local vendors taking part with sales of $146,093.64.

According to an administration report by Anne Rota, Manager of Tourism and Culture, on October 28th, 2016, the Amherstburg Chamber Commerce advised administration that the Chamber will not be organizing a subsequent WE Harvest Festival in 2017 for reasons unknown.

That left the town with three options:  Do nothing and see if another group comes forward to fill the void, approach other non-profit groups to undertake the event for 2017, it takeover the initiative and move forward with WE Harvest as a Town Event for 2017.

Town administration is recommending council approve the festival be taken over and that it become a town event.

“It is highly unlikely that an event such as the WE Harvest will occur in 2017 without town involvement,” said Rota in her report to council.  “This is understandable with the outstanding litigation of the Wine Festival and the Chambers recent decision not to move forward with the event in 2017.
In light of this information Council’s decision is critical. This decision will play an important role in reaffirming to residents, stakeholders and investors the Town is committed to developing an alternative economy for improving quality of life for current and future residents of the Town through the promotion of Tourism.”

Town council will make the final decision at their meeting Monday night.