Best. Day. Ever.

BY: RACHEL WUMKES

It seems like a bit of a difficult concept to grasp, given that I seemed to blink and summer disappeared.  Still, the fact remains… our beloved Harvest Festival is just around the corner!

It’s time to start planning, friends.  Have Siri set a reminder on your phone.  Enter the event into your Alexa calendar.  Write it in your spiral-bound planner.

However you choose to keep track of the event, get it down and block off the entire day on Saturday, October 7th.

All of it.

Every single minute.

Because it’s going to be fun and shopping and wine-tasting and live music all day long… well, officially from 9am-4pm.  And trust me when I say, you DO NOT want to miss any of the excitement this year.

Our 2023 Harvest Festival committee is bound and determined to ensure this year is the best one yet.  It’s all about the impressive swag, amazing vendors, incredible music line-up, and new wine/beer tasting locations.  A great day to cap off a terrific summer, embracing the return of sweaters and boots to ring in another fabulous fall season at the Lake!

If you’ve never been to Harvest Festival before, this is your year! We have some new wineries to go along with your old favorites.  And the band at the main stage on 4th & Main will rock your socks off.  Literally.  I’m not even exaggerating.  It’s going to be AMAZING!!

Just for fun, I decided the look up the importance of having girls’ night (or day, in this case) out, and Google gave me the best answer I could have ever hoped for.

Not only does a “just because” girls’ night out with the ladies improve your mood, but it also reduces stress levels by elevating your levels of oxytocin and producing feelings of bliss. And thanks to the stress-reducing abilities of girl time together, friendships between women also decrease a woman’s risk of death.

Death, people.  It decreases a woman’s risk of death.

Pretty sure that should be the final nail in the coffin (no pun intended) on whether or not to round your girls up and attend.  It seems to be imperative to the overall health and wellness for women everywhere to get together, shop, enjoy live music, and taste delicious wines.  And in today’s day and age, the importance of our mental well-being is on the forefront.

You deserve a day out, amongst the others of your kind who ALSO enjoy all the fabulous things at Harvest Festival.

And so, go forth, my friends.  Plan the ultimate girls’ day!

Our VIP and general admission souvenir bags are already sold out.  But never fear, you can STILL attend this amazing event and enjoy a beautiful day of shopping in downtown Clear Lake.  AND, we’ll even have a few extra belt bags for sale for only $20 at our merch tent.  First come, first serve!

For those who’d like to get their fitness on before the big day of indulgance, the Champagne 5K has a special guest this year.  Bad Mom Becky Yoga is coming to town for a little pre-race stretching!

Everyone is welcome for this community yoga stretching class in City Park.  Bring a yoga mat or beach towl (extra mats will be available to borrow), water bottle, and an open mind!  Check in is at 7:30am and we will begin to limber and lengthen those muscles promptly at 7:45am so you’re race ready to speed through the streets of Clear Lake in search of the bubbly rewards!

Also new for the Champagne 5K this year is a costume contest.  That’s right, friends, it’s ime to put your creativity to the test.  Prizes will be awarded for best individual costume, as well as best group ensemble!

Event Schedule:
  • 9 a.m. Champagne 5K (8 a.m. packet pickup) | Lakeview Room Register here!
  • 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Outdoor Vendor Market & Farmers Market | Main Avenue
  • 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Hayrides | South Shore Drive & Main Avenue
  • 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Salsa Contest (sponsored by Randy’s Neighborhood Market) | Outside Unique Boutique
  • 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Salsa Contest Check In and Registration
    • 12:15-1:45 p.m. Public Tasting
    • 2 p.m. Winners Announced
  • 12-4 p.m. Wine, Beer & Spirits Sampling | Main Avenue
  • 2-3 p.m. Grape Stomp Competition (sponsored by Woodford Lumber) | Outside Chamber Office
Music Schedule:

4th Street & Main Avenue Main Stage

  • 12-4 p.m. Gen X Jukebox

5th Street & Main Avenue Stage (The Dock)

  • 10:30-1 p.m. Last Minute Combo
  • 1:30-4 p.m. Nova Jazz

Find more great live music locations on our Calendar of Events.
Elly’s: 
The Sweet Nuthin’s (2-6pm) & Papa J (7-10pm)
Lady of the Lake: 
The Mockingbirds (1-4pm)

Wineries/Tasting Locations:

Brickyard Wines
Click Here for Tasting Menu

3 Drunk Brothers
Click Here for Tasting Menu

Lucky Wife Wine Slushies
Click Here for Tasting Menu

Avion Azul
Click Here for Tasting Menu

Lake Time Brewery
Click Here for Tasting Menu

Thunder Creek Winery
Click Here for Tasting Menu

Stone Cliff Winery
Click Here for Tasting Menu

Jennings Winery
Click Here for Tasting Menu

Winneshiek Wildberry Winery
Click Here for Tasting Menu