Celebrate the season at Cambria Harvest Festival. Here’s what is in store

The Cambria Historical Society will have many reasons to celebrate at the 16th annual Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 14.

The free event runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cambria Historical Museum, 2251 Center St. at Burton Drive.

At the Harvest Festival, you can shop for unique handcrafted gifts and seasonal items at a variety of booths, and spend time with the kids doing pumpkin decorating and crafts with Friends of the Cambria Library.

Enjoy live music performed on our backyard stage by the Earls of Tuesday, followed by Bob Benjamin & Friends, as you quaff adult beverages and the Native Daughters of the Golden West’s root beer floats.

A new feature this year is soup sampling, available noon to 2 p.m.

For a $10 fee, you can sip a flight of six soups from Cambria’s finest restaurants to benefit the Schoolhouse Restoration Project.

There’s also a drawing for gift cards to area businesses.

Jim Karjala will be working on his fabulous watercolors, with more for sale.

You can also check out jade carving, local honey and Halloween decorations and ornaments.

Morro Bay Mercantile joins the fun this year.

Be sure to see the display of scarecrows throughout history which our members have created. The museum will be open for tours as usual.

Schoolhouse, jail projects in the works in Cambria

Proceeds from the Harvest Festival traditionally support the operation of two of the historical society’s facilities.

Soon there will be two more structures completed and ready for use.

You may have noticed the construction of a concrete apron in front of the 1881 Schoolhouse at the Main Street entrance to Cambria.

We look forward to continuing the driveway down the slope from Main Street so there will be easier and safer access to the edifice.

Efforts to restore the schoolhouse’s interior, exterior and bell tower have been completed.

Better access to the structure will soon allow for visitors, especially students on school field trips.

Recently, students from Leffingwell High School in Cambria stopped by after an educational session with Cambria Historical Society board president Melody Coe.

The students enjoyed ringing the bell and being seated at the desks while their teacher did a lesson about one-room schoolhouses.

Our other noteworthy project is moving Cambria’s circa-1888 jailhouse from the Pinedorado grounds back to its historic location on the community park at Center and Bridge streets, which we recently acquired.

With the rights and responsibilities of property ownership, we hope to face fewer challenges than we did moving the schoolhouse.

It is our pleasure to continue our commitment to Cambria’s fascinating history, and we appreciate the support we have received thus far.

Cambria Historical Museum

The Cambria Historical Museum is located at 2251 Center St. at Cambria.

Currently, the museum and store is open and staffed by volunteers on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.

The Heirloom Gardens are open all day every day. Admission is only $2 per adult, and donations are greatly appreciated.

For more information, visit cambriahistoricalsociety.com or follow us on Facebook at facebook/cambriahistoricalsociety.com.

This story was originally published October 4, 2023 at 3:33 PM.