Semitropic School celebrates harvest season

The Semitropic Harvest Festival later this month promises to be an afternoon of fun activities with food, games, a spooky haunted house, mazes and music for all ages to enjoy.

There will be various contests, including for the best chile verde and best Halloween costumes, and a pumpkin decoration competition with two categories: carved and painted. Youth can work at home on their pumpkin entry and bring it to the event for a panel of community members to vote on.

A cake walk and candy walk will also be part of the festivities set for Saturday, Oct. 28, from 3 to 6 p.m.

Food vendors will be selling snow cones, bacon-wrapped hot dogs, aguas frescas, mini pancakes and taquitos, among other treats..

Various information booths will be there with resources. Community Action Partnership of Kern and Youth 2 Leaders are some organizations that will participate.

Hilda Torres is the program coordinator for the Semitropic School District. She said it is their first year with this event, and what started with an idea to host something for their own families since they are ten miles outside of town grew into a larger event through the help of staff and volunteers.

"Wasco High School students offered to volunteer, and our idea took off from there."

Torres said, "We have so much going on. People are excited about the chile verde contest."

She added that there will be games for prizes and games for enjoyment, hay rides and mazes for both younger students and one for middle school and high school students. The haunted house will be a highlight.

"For such a small school, there will be quite a bit to do. Hopefully, it will be a day when one can come with their families, enjoy the event and have fun."

Torres thanks sponsors including Domino's Pizza, Dutch Bros, Wasco Glass and Shear Designs for pitching in to make what will surely be an entertaining event for all.

The festival will be held at 25300 Highway 46. For more information on how to participate in the chile verde contest, call 661-758-6412 or scan the QR code on the flyer. The deadline to register is Thursday, Oct. 26, at noon.