Simmering pots of chili, hayrides, pumpkins everywhere – all under the beautiful pecan groves at Brownwood’s Riverside Park – are the perfect ingredients for this Saturday’s Harvest Festival hosted by the Brownwood Area Community Garden.

The Community Garden is celebrating its first year with the Harvest Festival Saturday, Oct. 16, which is also World Food Day. Organizers say the event is not only a celebration of the 3,000 pounds of produce harvested in their first growing season, but also intends to focus awareness on the issue of hunger.

The Community Garden’s mission is to provide area food pantries with fresh produce year-round; provide space for residents who wish to garden according to natural, chemical-free methods; to provide a venue for education on sustainable gardening practices; and to provide employment and on-the-job training opportunities for low-income workers.

“In our first year, the Community Garden has accomplished each and every point of our mission statement,” Garden president Freda Day said. “The Harvest Festival celebrates that fact, and gives us the opportunity to make people aware of the problem of hunger right here in our community.”

Statistics indicate that almost 25 percent of children and senior citizens in Texas face hunger on a regular basis. Food pantries like Good Samaritan Ministries and Salvation Army Loaves and Fishes soup kitchen report record numbers of clients.

The Community Garden is sponsoring food collection centers throughout the area, including City Hall, Brownwood schools, and other locations. Keep Brownwood Beautiful will accept food donations this Saturday at its city-wide recycling event.

The Brownwood City Council proclaimed October 16 as Hunger Awareness Recognition Day at Tuesday’s meeting at City Hall.

Food pantries are specifically requesting canned goods and dried staples such as rice and beans.

Activities at Saturday’s Harvest Festival include a Vegetarian Chili Cook-off, Pumpkin Pie Bakeoff, Punkin Paintin’ for kids, face painting, hayrides and pony rides, arts and crafts, and an Oscar the Grouch Trash Can Veggie Roast with Oscar on hand to supervise.

The Harvest Festival is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission is free. Food donations are requested.

Entries for the Chili Cook-off and Pumpkin Pie Bakeoff will be accepted until the start of the Festival Saturday morning at 10 a.m.

For additional information or entry forms, call 325-784-8453.