Annual Harvest Fest: A 20-Year Tradition and Running by Daisy Avalos - City News Group, Inc.
View Upcoming Events View Your Local Sales

Community Calendar

◄ OCTOBER ►
S M T W T F S
27 28 29 30 01 02 03
04 05 06 07 08 09 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
View Events
Submit Events
directory

Annual Harvest Fest: A 20-Year Tradition and Running

By Daisy Avalos, Community Writer
October 31, 2013 at 08:49am. Views: 60

Halloween arrived early this year at the Redlands Christian Center. The Christian community came together to organize their Annual Harvest Festival, a tradition that has taken place for over 20 years. The festival always takes place the Sunday before Halloween to give the community the opportunity to take their children trick-or-treating the night of Halloween. All around the church, booths offered a variety of games for children ranging from a fishing pond to pin the tail on the pumpkin. Other areas of the festival provided supplies for cookie decorating and volunteers could be found in the corner doing face painting. A small section was closed off for the food, where families could purchase affordable plates for all members of the family. Tara Fernandez, coordinator of the Children’s Ministry and the Annual Harvest Fest, says that the festival was created to give their community a fun and safe place to come together and celebrate Halloween. Fernandez hopes that through the festival they can reach out to people who don’t have a home church and invite them to become part of their church. The community that surrounds the Redlands Christian Center, according to Fernandez, is made up of mostly lower-income families. Fernandez strongly believes that these families need fun and exciting events that are free, which is why the Annual Harvest Fest is completely free except for the food. The profit from the food plates is split between the Children’s Ministry and the church’s philanthropy, an orphanage in Uganda, to which the church donates throughout the year. Fernandez said, “Last year we sent about $150 to them and we are hoping this year to make an even bigger donation to the orphanage.” At around 6:30 p.m., the games shut down and the attendees were invited into the church for a short puppet show telling the story of Lazarus being brought back from the dead by Jesus. Through the puppet shows, the Children’s Ministry hopes to teach the importance of the Gospel. Fernandez hopes that the people who enter the church can become Christians and learn that eternal life can be reached through Jesus Christ. “The point of a church is to reach people, give them hope, and show them the love of Jesus Christ,” Fernandez says. The Redlands Christian Center invites all families in the surrounding community to join “a loving church” where the love of God grows every day.

Related Articles

Photo Courtesy of: Dr. April Clay

By Carl M. Dameron, Contributing Writer

October 14, 2026 at 11:03am. Views: 808

“When we support parents, we support children,” says Dr. April Clay, LMFT.

Photo Courtesy of: AI-generated by ChatGPT.

By Amanda Spencer, Community Writer

September 29, 2026 at 10:13am. Views: 1278

The San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra celebrates its founding in style with a Roaring Twenties-themed gala fundraiser on October 17 at 5p.m. The orchestra invites supporters to celebrate the community, music, and legacy it has built over nearly a century.

Photo Courtesy of: Colton Joint Unified School District

By Amanda Spencer, Community Writer

October 20, 2026 at 05:05pm. Views: 645

Music students at Colton High School will soon enjoy a larger space with more storage, practice rooms, better acoustics and better space for creating, learning and performing. Construction on the Buildings is Set to Start in 2027

Photo Courtesy of: San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools

By Justus Baker-Postell, Community Writer

October 14, 2026 at 11:05am. Views: 1298

State, Local Education Leaders Highlight Nearly $162 Million in CalKIDS Scholarships Available to San Bernardino County Students.

Photo Courtesy of: CIty News Group

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

October 20, 2026 at 04:11pm. Views: 1015

An October 2026 study from Loma Linda University suggests a simple dietary change may influence inflammation-related measures in older adults. A bowl of walnuts sits alongside a nutritious breakfast, illustrating the everyday dietary choice examined in Loma Linda University research.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Stella Pierce, Community Writer

October 20, 2026 at 04:28pm. Views: 1120

San Bernardino Drug Take Back Day 2026, prescription medication disposal, San Bernardino Police Department, October 24, medication safety, National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Community collection efforts offer families a convenient way to remove unwanted prescription drugs from their homes while promoting public safety and protecting the environment.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group AI-generated illustrations

By William Cortez, Community Writer

October 20, 2026 at 04:24pm. Views: 564

Long before modern freeways reshaped the Inland Empire, the railroad helped establish San Bernardino as a transportation center. Trains brought passengers, goods, workers and new business opportunities into the region, connecting a growing Southern California community with destinations across the country.

Photo Courtesy of: California Historical Society Collection, USC Libraries Special Collections.

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

October 20, 2026 at 04:22pm. Views: 700

As Redlands continues to grow, its surviving citrus groves offer a living connection to the industry that shaped the city's neighborhoods, economy and identity. Orange trees heavy with fruit line a grove in Redlands around 1900, with snow-covered Mount San Bernardino visible in the distance. The photograph documents the citrus industry that played a central role in the city's early development.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Stella Pierce, Community Writer

October 20, 2026 at 04:19pm. Views: 1508

The City of Redlands will host Plane-or-Treat at Redlands Municipal Airport on October 25, featuring trick-or-treating, entertainment and family activities. An AI-generated illustration

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Stella Pierce, Community Writer

October 14, 2026 at 11:03am. Views: 944

Festive University of Redlands Homecoming celebration, with alumni, students, and families gathered on campus wearing maroon Bulldogs apparel. A bulldog mascot greets attendees while cheerleaders and a marching band perform near decorated tents and balloons, with university buildings and mountains in the background.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group - AI-generated illustration

By Stella Pierce, Community Writer

October 20, 2026 at 04:11pm. Views: 618

Moreno Valley is preparing to celebrate one of Mexico's most meaningful cultural traditions with an evening dedicated to remembrance, family and community.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group - AI-generated illustration

By Amanda Spencer, Community Writer

October 20, 2026 at 04:11pm. Views: 587

Moreno Valley Unified School District is continuing its parent education efforts with an October workshop focused on social-emotional learning, positive behavior and bullying prevention.

--> -->