Reading Terminal Market's Harvest Festival

Philly's world-renowned Reading Terminal Market celebrated fall this past Saturday with their 10th Annual Harvest Festival. Filbert Street was closed to vehicle traffic and transformed into an urban farm complete with a hay ride around the block of the market and a local bluegrass group. Crowds of people of all ages roamed the sawdust-sprinkled street, checking out the sights, taking in the smells, and enjoying the overall atmosphere.

Although it only spanned one block, the festival offered a variety of products and activities. Local artists sold an assortment of unique crafts, from handmade yarn hats to bead and stone jewelry. Frozen vegetable company Green Giant set up a large tent in the middle of the street, interviewing passersby about company products and handing out reusable tote bags. Large crates cradled apples for munching and pumpkins for picking, the latter of which could be decorated with stickers and markers at nearby tables.

The festivities continued inside the market. A table in the center of the market held an enormous pumpkin for visitors to guess the weight of in a contest to win a $100 Reading Terminal Market gift certificate. More vendors lined the market's aisles, selling everything from cheese to organic vegetables.

The food fare, as expected, was delicious. Vendors owning stalls inside the market set up booths outside to sell their wares. From tempting caramel apples...

... to succulent, fall-off-the-bone BBQ ribs...

...to warm freshly made donuts (the apple cider donut was particularly delicious), there was something to satisfy anyone's taste.

Of course, it wouldn't be fall without autumnal treats, like hot apple dumplings and pumpkin pancakes.