Organizers are calling this year’s Harvest Festival, “Take Me Home, Country Roads” a success—particularly because the event managed to dodge some dicey weather.
    The festival Thursday through Sunday was bracketed by heavy rainstorms that forced a few events to be moved or rescheduled.
    The craft fair and dance were both moved inside to the community center, while Friday’s paddle boat races were delayed until Saturday.
    Mandi Kramer, president of the Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors the festival, said, “From what I gather, talking to the other committee members, it went pretty well.”
    While heavy rainfalls did hit Wauneta, they came either before or after some of the larger events, like the parade, she said.
    The festival kicked off Thursday with a softball game billed as “Young Guns vs. Has Beens,” which pitted younger local players against more experienced ones. Experience carried the day, with the older players winning two of three games 11-3 and 5-3, while the younger players took the second game 22-4.
    Rod Rector said the event, which was new this year, might return next year.
    For those who didn’t feel like taking in a softball game, bingo took place at the community center.
    On Friday, while swimming and the paddle board race/pop dive fell victim to intermittent rain, by afternoon in had cleared up enough that kids’ activities like the bounce house and petting zoo could go on.
    Though it rained only sporadically during the day, organizers made the decision by midafternoon to move the craft show. Booths were located both inside and outside of the community center.

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