Harvest Festival
Harvest Festival is among the oldest known festivals, it has existed since pagan times when people gave joyous thanks to the gods for the fruition of the crops that would sustain them for the coming year.
When all the harvest had been gathered, "harvest home" would be celebrated in a farmer’s house. It was the custom to use the last sheaf of grain to make a corn dolly, a figure made of plaited straw, which was held aloft and carried with great ceremony to the celebrations. It was believed that the corn spirit was contained in the dolly and when the feasting was over it was taken to the farmhouse and kept there until the next harvest supper.
After the service, the produce is distributed to charitable organisations.
