By: Elinor Stoufer ’25, Student Journalist for The Crozier, O’Dowd’s online student newsletter.
The last weekend of October, the O’Dowd community welcomed one of its yearly fall traditions - the Harvest Festival. Hosted by Eco Leaders and the Creation Care Team, the festival included an array of festive and community activities for all ages to enjoy.
Our jazz bands played catchy songs throughout the event, including "Capriccio Espagnol," "The Look of Love," and "East of the Sun and West of the Moon."
Visitors could meet the Living Lab’s furry and feathered residents in the petting zoo, including the community’s favorite chicken Megatron. Members of O’Dowd’s animal care club, the Chicken Tenders, helped younger children learn how to pet and greet the rabbits and chickens.
Eco Leaders, one of O’Dowd’s 8 leadership teams, hosted interactive booths and activities including face painting, a costume contest, and pumpkin carving. Sharing their carving creativity was physics teacher Ian Allen who carved our Dragon logo into a Living Lab-grown pumpkin.
This year Campus Ministry hosted a campfire activity where students and community members could roast their very own s’mores. "In the spirit of collaboration and 'kinship,' Campus Ministry Team partners with Eco Leaders on Feast of St. Francis Assembly and the Easter Prayer Service,” shares Ryan Dilag, Campus Ministry Director. “Both of these all-school events are new to O'Dowd and we are very excited to continue uplifting the intersection of spirituality and creation!"
To finish off the celebration, the Creation Care Team raffled off four dozen sets of eggs and a bundle of Living Lab produce. The Harvest Festival has been an O’Dowd staple since its reintroduction to the community in 2018 and has since become a season highlight for many.