Bonita Springs church celebrates Harvest Festival's 20th anniversary

Joyce Speakman has coordinated Hope Lutheran Church's annual Harvest Festival for the last 15 years.

She has it down to a science.

Planning for the October festival starts in May. That gives her enough time to rally volunteers, choose a date, contact vendors and make reservations for food and entertainment. 

The Harvest festival has become a major community event, she said. Over the years, festival attendance has risen to around 750 to 1,000 people, Speakman said. 

"It’s just grown because we kept getting people that have come back throughout the years," she said. "We get people from Naples to Lehigh and Fort Myers." 

Planning this year's celebration is a particular point of pride for Speakman and the church.

Hope Lutheran Church will celebrate its 20th annual Harvest Festival from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20. 

"It’s our largest outreach event that we have at our church. I think that’s why it has continued on for 20 years," Speakman said. 

Hope Lutheran Church's congregation funds the Harvest Festival, which keeps the event free for the community.

Members of the church consider the Harvest Festival one of many ways to give back to their community, whether through volunteering or providing donations, Speakman said.

"I’ve had volunteers who have volunteered as long as I have been doing this event," she said. "It just shows the love of Jesus in action in our community and how we can transform people’s lives in some way." 

Richard Browning, the pastor at Hope Lutheran Church since 2004, also participates in the Harvest Festival.

Browning and his family each volunteer for different jobs, but Browning always runs the popular inflatable bounce house. 

"I appreciate seeing the kids and the fun they have, that’s one of the reasons the bounce house is a good place for me," he said. 

Although the annual fall event predates Browning, he's seen the festival grow throughout the years and recognizes the 20-year mark is a significant achievement for the church. 

"A lot of things come and go, but it certainly shows a commitment among the members and the people who make it happen," Browning said. "To me, the 20 years is an awesome milestone, but it just encourages us that we need to keep doing things like this and more of it."

Several Harvest Festival traditions will continue at the event this year, including face painting, clowns, a giant slide, a climbing wall, games and pony rides.

The popular dessert walk, a game that is like musical chairs, will also be at this year's festival.

The church will also take canned good donations for their seventh annual community food drive.

Food items will benefit the Bonita Springs Assistance Office and Amigos en Cristo in Immokalee. 

New at the festival this year is a video game trailer and a petting zoo where children can feed the animals, Speakman said. 

Free hot dogs, doughnuts, cider and candy will be available at the event. And Speakman encourages people to come in costume but asks that guests leave the scary clothes and masks at home. 

"They can come have fun, get something to eat and be in a safe environment," she said. 

As Speakman finishes preparations for her 15th Harvest Festival, she is looking forward to seeing families enjoy the evening together. 

"Look at what all we’ve been through after Hurricane Irma," she said. "It changed all of our lives for a few weeks, so I think people need something to lift their spirits. This is a way of giving back." 

Harvest Festival

Where: Hope Lutheran Church, 25999 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs

When: 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 20

Admission: Free

Details: 239-992-6952 or hopebonita.org

Something else: Bring a canned good to the event for the church's community food drive.