The South Coast Harvest Festival returns to the Westport Fairgrounds from Friday, October 2 through Sunday, October 4, 2026. The three-day event brings together local food vendors, artisan sellers, professional garden displays, and a packed entertainment schedule, all at one of the SouthCoast’s most recognizable outdoor venues.
If you went last year, you already know the deal. If you haven’t made it yet, this is a good one to put on the calendar.
When Is the Festival?
The South Coast Harvest Festival runs the first weekend of October:
- Friday, October 2: 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM
- Saturday, October 3: 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
- Sunday, October 4: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
The festival was originally scheduled for September 25 to 27 but was postponed due to a forecasted nor’easter. Check the festival’s Facebook page for any further updates.
Where Is It Held?
Westport Fairgrounds, 200 Pine Hill Road, Westport, MA. Free parking is available in the field at the entrance. Westport is about 20 minutes from New Bedford and an easy drive from most of the SouthCoast.
How Much Are Tickets?
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for kids ages 5 to 12, and free for children under 5. Admission covers all live entertainment and performances. Tickets are sold at the gate only (cash), with an ATM on site. No advance tickets are available this year.
What Can You Expect There?
The festival is built around a few main draws. Professional garden displays from local landscapers and designers fill the grounds with large-scale fall installations. Those displays stay illuminated into the evening, which gives the Friday and Saturday night hours a different feel from the daytime.
An artisan marketplace features dozens of vendors selling handmade goods, and a lineup of local food trucks and vendors covers the eating side of things.
What About the Entertainment?
This is one of the festival’s strengths. Admission includes every performance, and the schedule runs all weekend across multiple stages and areas. Some highlights:
Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show runs multiple times each day. It’s competitive log-rolling, axe-throwing, and crosscut sawing on the track.
Chrissy Joy and The Joy Crew is a dog show featuring tricks, agility runs, disc skills, and doggy dancing. Multiple shows across all three days.
Eyes on Owls brings live owls to the pavilion on Sunday. Naturalist and owl rehabilitator Marcia Wilson and wildlife photographer Mark Wilson introduce the birds and share stories about their behavior and habitats.
Richard Kaiser does live professional pumpkin carving in the gardens throughout the weekend. Kaiser is one of the original artists behind the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular at Roger Williams Park Zoo.
James Gagne’s One-Man Human Jukebox Band takes audience song requests in real time and builds them live with looping technology. He performs throughout the weekend in the outdoor marketplace.
For families with younger kids, the Toe Jam Puppet Band combines puppetry and music on Saturday and Sunday, The Bubble Guy creates giant bubbles in the kids’ area, and Blazing Saddles Pony Rides and Petting Zoo runs all three days with goats, sheep, alpacas, zebu, and water buffalo, plus pony rides, in the back kids’ area.
The weekend also features Robert Clarke (comedy magic and juggling), Kyla J (live vocal performances), Men of Many Hats (DJ in the gardens), and Amazing Animal Ambassadors, an educational wildlife show led by zoologist Bethany Boucher featuring rescue animals from around the world.
Each day opens with a sound bowl demonstration by The Cat and Raven.
The full schedule is posted on the South Coast Harvest Festival entertainment page.
A Few Things to Know Before You Go
No pets. Per Westport Fairgrounds rules, pets are not allowed. Service animals are the only exception.
Cash for tickets. Bring cash for admission at the gate. There’s an ATM on site, but lines can build up.
Parking is free. Pull into the field at the entrance. The lot has handled past years’ crowds, but arriving earlier on Saturday is a good idea if you want a shorter walk.
Who Puts This On?
The festival was created by Brian and Michelle Sousa Peay, Westport residents and the owners of Metamorphosis Design, a garden design firm. They launched the first South Coast Harvest Festival in 2023, drawing on 25 years of experience with garden shows. Shannen Viveiros manages vendor coordination, entertainment, and operations.
For the latest updates, follow the festival on Facebook or Instagram, or visit southcoastharvestfestival.com.
We share events like this because they’re part of what makes the SouthCoast a good place to live. If you’re heading out to Westport for the festival, enjoy the weekend.