Arvada Harvest Festival 2024 in Denver

Arvada Harvest Festival & Grand Parade is a free, family-friendly event taking place every fall in downtown Arvada, just northwest of Denver, Colorado. The festival features carnival rides, food and vendor booths, a spelling bee, a talent show, garden harvest contests, a car show, a cow chip tossing competition, a kid's parade and activities, and plenty of live entertainment.

Grand Parade (September 7, 2024)

The most popular event of the festival is the Grand Parade, which usually features over 100 entries and is known as one of the oldest community celebrations in Arvada. Every year, the "Viewers Choice" and different category winners are announced on the festival's main stage. This year, the theme of the parade is "Honoring Our Heroes... Red, White, and Blue," which pays tribute to all the brave servicemen of the country. Before the parade, guests are encouraged to attend the pancake breakfast at 7:30 am in the Vanderhoof Elementary School parking lot.

Parade Schedule & Route

The event is set to begin at 9 am, with the winners announced at 3 pm. The route of the parade begins at Tabor Street, continues east to Miller Street, and goes along West 58th Avenue and Ralston Road. Residents annually come together to observe the parade, cheering on the participants and the colorful floats.

Entertainment Events

Held at the Clear Creek Valley Park, the Arvada Harvest Festival features lots of entertainment for the whole family, ranging from traditional carnival attractions and eating contests to radio-controlled car racing and a car show. Local musicians, including Mad Dog, The Throwbacks, and Message in a Bottle, entertain the crowds during the entire run of the festival, playing the best country, pop, and rock hits. The program also features a traditional movie in the park screening, where the community gathers together to enjoy some cinema classics. Vendors from all over the area will be offering delicious food and beverages at the venue.

Child-Friendly Activities

Kids have plenty to do at the Arvada Harvest Festival, thanks to an exclusive Kid Zone location at the festivalgrounds. Seo's Martial Arts Academy sets up fun educational workshops, while children under eight can bring their stuffed animals to the Teddy Bear Picnic. The festival's Kid's Parade gives your little ones a chance to float their bikes, pets, or costumes and receive a prize. The petting zoo is another attraction beloved by children.

Schedule & Location

The festival runs from 4 pm until 10 pm on Friday, from 11 am until 10 pm on Saturday, and from 10 until 5 pm on Sunday. Clear Creek Valley Park has been the hosting venue of the event for the last couple of years. It's located at the West 58th Pl and boasts an incredible lakeshore landscape.

History

Arvada Harvest Festival was first introduced in October 1925 to mark the construction of the first concrete road between Arvada and Denver. Over the years, it has become the largest festival in Arvada. The event was previously held in the Olde Town Arvada, a historic neighborhood, but moved recently to a more spacious location at the Clear Creek Valley Park. The city is known for being an agricultural hub in the past and for its contribution to the construction of the Colorado Central Railroad.