Familiar Faces, New Traditions on Display at Harvest Fair

September 30, 2024
• Needham celebrated the start of fall with the annual Harvest Fair, welcoming frequent attendees and first-timers alike.

More than 100 local vendors and organizations tabled across Greene’s Field Sunday both to inform and excite residents about ongoing programs, new initiatives and other offerings. The Charles River Regional Chamber, who organized the event, hosted both new and established participants in the festivities.

Over the years, one staple fair feature is Louise Condon and her mini pumpkin patch. Since first participating in the fair decades prior, Condon Realty has supplied hundreds of pumpkins for children to collect for their front stoops or for carving before Halloween.

Watching young families flock to the pumpkins is an annual joy for Condon, who is celebrating her 40th year in business. Their 900 pumpkins quickly dwindled to zero after a couple hours.

“It’s going to be 1,000 [pumpkins] next year,” Condon said.

Scouts BSA Troop 13 arrived at 8 a.m. to help unload all those pumpkins before the fair opened and later demonstrated how to make ropes and monkey fists, which are knots that add weight to the end of a rope.

Scout Ivy Howell, 11, comes from a family of scouts — relatives on her father’s side all reached Eagle Scout status, the highest achievable rank. With the Needham troop, Howell recently camped out in the Needham Town Forest.

Attending the Harvest Fair meant introducing other kids to the Boy Scouts and the fun experiences it brings, Howell said.

“You get to learn a lot, and you get to meet a lot of great people, do a lot of things,” Howell said. “You get to help people, that’s probably the best part. Just putting a smile on somebody’s face every day, it’s really awesome.”

The Fire Department wheeled out Engine 3, which kids — some wearing plastic red fire helmets — climbed into for a photo. Needham Public Health also offered free flu shots.

With Halloween approaching, some businesses decided to get in the spooky spirit — Needham Action Sports Park erected a towering skeleton, complete with a tie-dye cap and skateboard.

Amid all the fun — and lots of candy — there was still room for educational opportunities, both for kids and adults.

Children as young as four years old learned how to control traveling robots from iCode, a STEAM learning center in Wellesley. Wielding big tablets, they maneuvered the robots through an enclosed space, using a claw to pick up the other robots.

The interest in STEAM education — an acronym for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics — has grown among pre-kindergarteners, iCode’s Soundarya Ganesh said. Many younger students are embracing “gamified learning,” which uses games such as Minecraft or Roblox as tools through which to learn about programming, Ganesh said.

For Ganesh, it’s interesting and important to see the younger generations embracing emerging technology.

“Look at the kids who are three and four years [old] and already want to do this,” she said. “You can see the future. All of them want to do robotics.”

Chemist Bill Hebard with the Needham Conservation Commission sprayed water on a 3D model to demonstrate how pollutants end up in local waterways. Hebard instructed attendees to watch as the water flowed from a farm, industrial plant and construction zone and into the water.

The physical demonstration allows learners of all ages to understand the impact of pollution, Hebard said.

“This gives a more graphic example… On this land, everybody contributes pollution,” Hebard said, looking at the model. “The number one rule: water flows downhill.”

The NCC also reminded locals about Needham’s extensive trail network and encouraged them to embrace Needham’s environment and proximity to the Charles River.

The fair, as usual, accepted plenty of non-human companions to Greene’s Field. Dozens of dogs took part in the fun, with some posing for photos at Jake’s Dog Walking and Pet Care. The local business — started by Needham High School alum Jake Orozco-Herman — set up a water station and dog-sized “kisses” table for people’s pooches.

And a famous dog also made an appearance: Rocket, the Needham Police Department’s community resource dog, was showered with affection from attendees in his third year at the Harvest Fair.

Just as the fair kicked off at 11 a.m., a line had already formed in front of Rocket, said Officer Joe Brienze, who handles Rocket. The department handed out Rocket trading cards and stress “paws,” but ran out of Rocket stuffies early on, Brienze said.

At the Harvest Fair, Brienze said they’re able to remind families of how Rocket serves Needham.

“We talk to a lot of parents about what Rocket does in the community when it comes to visiting the schools, deescalating kids, visiting the Senior Center, visiting people around town that may not have anyone else and just want someone to say hi and pop in every once in a while,” Brienze said.

For lifelong Needham residents or those just becoming acquainted with the town, it’s a chance to meet your neighbors, Pamela Condon said.

“It’s nice to have everyone get together,” she said.

The Needham Community Television Development Corporation is a member of the Charles River Regional Chamber and participated in the event.