From pumpkin carvings and apple pressing to live music and freshly harvested produce, Santa Clara University’s annual Harvest Fest welcomed students to the Forge Garden for an afternoon of fall festivities.

This year’s celebration, held on Oct. 23, also marked the 20th anniversary of the University’s Center for Sustainability.

“For me personally, this event is special because it’s truly a celebration,” said Becca Nelson, manager of the Sustainable Food Systems Program. “This year especially because of the anniversary of the center, but also it’s always a way to celebrate the changing of the season, the abundance and magic of the garden space, and bringing people together in community.”

The event featured pumpkin carving, apple pressing, raffles, fresh produce, chickens and a celebratory cake, highlighting the Center for Sustainability’s efforts to foster community engagement and sustainability on campus. Entrance to the event was free.

Student-run radio station KSCU supplied live music from three bands: Christmas Tree, Dental Insurance and Skill Issue. Santa Clara University’s free on-campus thrift store Bucky’s Closet also hosted a pop-up at the event,  offering free Halloween costumes to students.

Behind the festivities were months of preparation and collaboration among the Center for Sustainability, other campus organizations, musicians and volunteers to bring the annual celebration to life.

“We start planning for the event in the summer, but most of it comes together when the quarter starts,” said Nelson. “A lot of the groups we partner with, KSCU, Cyphi and Bucky’s, have participated in previous years, so we send an invite at the beginning of each year to join us for the event again.”

For KSCU Associate Creative Director Nina Huaracayo ’27, the familiarity between participating organizations helped make preparations for the event run smoothly.

“It was pretty easy going,” said Huaracayo. “KSCU has done this every year so, it kind of seemed like we all knew what we were going to do. We synced up.”

Luke Carlson ’27, bassist for Dental Insurance, also emphasized the band’s longstanding relationship with the Forge Garden.

“In terms of scheduling, probably since the beginning of the year. We’ve been in talks; we have a very good relationship with the Forge,” said Carlson. “We have been doing this event every fall and the Garden Prom every spring.”

Beyond the live music, Harvest Fest offered students a chance to embrace the fall season through hands-on activities and seasonal treats.

Students and guests enjoyed freshly pressed apple cider made from apples grown at the Forge Garden. Attendees also participated in a raffle featuring prizes such as a quarter-long subscription to fresh flower bouquets, tote bags, honey and a sourdough starter made by Nelson.

In other parts of the garden, students carved pumpkins and visited the Forge Garden’s resident chickens. To honor the Center for Sustainability’s 20th anniversary, guests enjoyed slices of cake, bringing a sweet end to the afternoon’s festivities.

Although familiar traditions drew returning participants, Nelson looked forward to introducing new students to the garden.

“I was most excited to see all the new faces at Harvest Fest,” said Nelson. “Every year, this event brings so many people to the Forge for the first time. It’s a great first engagement with our programming for a lot of students who attend to see the student bands, carve a pumpkin, join a friend or get a costume from Bucky’s Closet.”

While Harvest Fest offered an afternoon of entertainment, the celebration also reflected the Center for Sustainability’s mission of encouraging environmental awareness across campus.

“It’s our job to get students involved with sustainability, whether that is academically through the sustainability minor or collecting their food scraps in a compost pail to bring to the garden,” said Nelson. “One of the things I think the Center for Sustainability does really well is offer a diverse and vast selection of ways students can be involved with sustainability that fits with their interests and capacity.”

As the Center for Sustainability celebrates two decades of sustainability initiatives, Harvest Fest continues to offer students an opportunity to connect with their community while discovering how they can contribute to a more sustainable future.