How to throw a Backyard Harvest Festival

ROCKWALL, TX (Sept. 27, 2022) Want a different way to celebrate the fall season? Host your very own backyard Harvest Festival!

I set up carnival tic-tac-toe using a card table, tablecloth, electrical tape laid out in a grid, and two kinds of pumpkins. Have baskets next to the table for the pumpkins and then play tic-tac-toe as you normally would. Kids will love it!

I served a super simple menu that wouldn’t require any utensils: Apple Butter & Pumpkin Butter Sandwiches, Vermont Cheddar Popcorn served in adorable fall bags, plus grapes, apples, and nuts, and my delicious Maple Rice Krispy Treats for dessert. Everything was set up on a 6’ folding table styled with a checkered Halloween tablecloth, pumpkins, white lanterns, and festive mums.

For the drink, I served homemade apple cider. If you’ve never made apple cider before, you’re in for a treat. It makes the whole house smell like fall! It’s so easy to make too. This is a kid-friendly version for our very family-friendly harvest festival, but you could of course add a splash of bourbon for a cocktail! For more Halloween party inspiration, visit therosetable.com.

Homemade Apple Cider

6 red apples (such as Gala)
4 green apples (such as Granny Smith)
1 orange
1/2 cup brown sugar
4-6 cinnamon sticks
1 whole nutmeg
Optional: apple slices, cinnamon stick for garnish

Quarter apples and orange. Place in a large stock pot and add enough water to cover by at least two inches. Add sugar and cinnamon sticks and give it a stir. Grate a bit of nutmeg over the pot and give it a stir.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for two hours. Use a wooden spoon to gently mash the apples the apples against the side of the pot. Let simmer for another hour.
Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve. Serve immediately with additional cinnamon sticks and apple slices for garnish. Refrigerate leftovers for up to five days.

By Katie-Rose Watson, who often covers Rockwall on therosetable.com, from the Farmers Market to Founder’s Day Festival. The Rose Table has over 200,000 fans on Facebook (fb.com/therosetable), millions of video views, and can be found on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Pinterest @therosetable.com.