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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Kelly and Andrew Dunleavy along with Sue Garcias sold wreaths and other handmade goods at the Oktoberfest event at Austintown Park.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Kerrie Rybicki sold her Tupperware at the Austintown Park on Oct. 6 during the Woodside Community Gardens Oktoberfest event.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Representatives from the Austintown Fire Department were present at the Woodside Community Garden Oktobertfest event on Oct. 6.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Beth and Erin McQuire sold their goods at the Austintown Park on Oct. 6 for the Woodside Community Garden event.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Andrea Bowden, a Woodside Community Garden board member, volunteered at their Oktoberfest event on Oct. 6.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Sam Schultz, owner of Truffle Laboratory, sold his home made truffles at the Woodside Garden's Oktoberfest event.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Jennifer Arden sold Damsel in Defense protective equiptment for women at the Woodside Community Garden Oktoberfest at the Austintown Park on Oct. 6.
By JESSICA HARKER
Woodside Community Garden held their first Oktoberfest vendor fair at the Austintown park Oct. 6.
The event had 25 craft and commercial vendors set up at the park.
“We are just trying to raise money for our community garden,” said Dale Basista, a Woodside Community Garden volunteer.
Basista said that along with vendors, the sheriffs mobile drone unit and the Austintown Fire Department were present at the event.
The Dog rescue also came out and set up during the event.
“We wanted to have it out at the park because we get more traffic out here,” Basista said.
He explained that having a paved parking lot is good for vendors, and the car show that was supposed to occur during Oktoberfest but was canceled due to rain.
“That’s a little disappointing, but what can you do about the weather,” Basista said.
He said that the community garden has held three events this year to raise money to put a well in the garden.
It was the fee from the vendors for the three events, along with donations that have helped raise money thus far.
“The racino donated $3000, and the rest was raised through these events,” Basista said, “We are on track.”
So far Basista said that the garden has raised $8000, and are looking to raise another $2000 for the well.
“We are a non profit organization and are all volunteer,” Basista said.
This is the first year the garden has been fully active since its ground breaking last May.
“It became a bit of a tourist attraction people were constantly stopping there and taking pictures,” Basista said.
He said one of the biggest attractions this year was a large sun flower field.
“A few commercial photographers actually donated money so that they could do photo shoots out there,” Basista said, “It was buzzing for a while.”
Basista said that along with the sun flower field the garden has black berry and raspberry bushed, 12 raised vegetable beds and an apple orchard they planted with 20 trees.
“The town ship is letting us do this,” Basista said, “It’s huge, its actually too big.”
The garden is 7.5 acres and is located at the old Woodside Elementary school site.
For more information or to volunteer to help with Woodside Community Garden go to the Facebook page.