Havenwood shop owner Becky Morgan and friends greet visitors at the Harvest Festival dressed as Winne, Sarah and Mary from Hocus Pocus.

A festive pumpkin patch welcomed guests to the Harvest Festival on Oct. 8.

Fun decorations adorned the grounds of Havenwood for the first annual Harvest Festival.
(Photos by Heather Troupe of Sterling Feather Studio)

Autumn fun for all

By Sean Eshelman
Special to The Alpine Mountaineer

Fall is for family and our mountain towns are brimming with activities for all.
October kicked off with the first annual Harvest Festival in Running Springs on Saturday, Oct. 8. The event was hosted at the new event space, Havenwood.
A place to shop, gather and grow, Havenwood was founded by Becky Morgan and her husband Rob Lewbel. With the sun shining brightly through the brisk mountain air, food vendors, artisans, and musician Adam Hurlbut descended on the town of Running Springs for a day of seasonal celebration.
The day started with complimentary donuts and coffee while vendors unloaded a wealth of merchandise. Morgan and Lewbel could be seen grabbing as many dollies and wagons as they could find, assisting vendors into their spaces. Artisans hugged and greeted each other, as they helped each other lift and set their displays.
The doors opened to the public at 10 a.m. and the flow of families began. Walking up to the property, you could hear the acoustic serenades of local favorite, Adam Hurlbut. The smell of tacos, pumpkin curry, and ramen filled the air as the orange glow of autumn lit up the space. To the right, there were hay bales and pumpkins plenty. A homemade slide was just perfect for the kids as they ran, slid, and smiled their way through the day. The warm scents and seasonal display were flanked by the cutest shops, permanent to the Havenwood property: the Holiday Camper, a winter holiday-themed gift shop, and Pages in the Pines, Havenwood’s own bookstore.
Pressing past the cottages adorning the front of Havenwood was the back garden. At the Harvest Festival, the first booth straight ahead was Sugar Mountain, offering fancy candy apples and candy from all eras, and Rustic Arts Cabin Outfitters, a Running Springs staple. From there, you could circle the garden to find vendors that offered everything from jewelry to handmade textiles and fashions, to nature-inspired gifts.
Miguel Torres, one of the day’s vendors, and owner of Mountain Harmony, Running Springs’ latest fashion boutique, said he couldn’t be happier about how the day turned out.
“Family and friends coming together to enjoy great food, beer, wine, clothes, accessories, home decor, and lots of fun stuff for kids and adults,” Torres said.
“I’m looking forward to more events like this in our community,” he added.
Heather Troupe of Sterling Feather Studio said in a recent Facebook post, “Yesterday’s Havenwood Running Springs Harvest Festival was super successful… Met a lot of new customers and friends, enjoyed the fall weather and my daughters had a blast at the pumpkin patch. Safe to say my first artisan booth was a hit and I’ll definitely be doing many more!”
Those who missed out on the family fun in Running Springs, or are yearning for more, mark your calendars on Nov. 12 for the Crestline Chamber of Commerce annual Top Town Fall Festival.
For more information on Havenwood and its offerings, visit its website at https://www.ShopHavenwood.com. For more information on the annual Top Town Fall Festival in Crestline, visit https://www.CrestlineChamber.org.