Held at Carlson Orchards Cider Barn

115 Oak Hill Rd    Harvard, MA

11:30 am - 3:00

Free Admission

Add some sparkle to your mid-winter by joining the Harvard Lions Club and Carlson Orchards for our annual Winter Fest celebration! We’ll kick off the day with a frosty 5K road race at The Bromfield School.  Come to the Carlson's Cider Barn to warm up with hot cocoa and a cider donut, then head off to shoot the apple cannons, visit our vendors, play kid’s games, toss a skillet, and enter the paper snowflake contest, judge the knitted /crochet hat, ice sun catcher and winter photography entrants.  Sign up for the human dog sled pull and then warm up by the fire pits.  Taste and vote for your favorite entries in the People’s Choice chili and the mac and cheese contests! End the day by Wassailing the Orchard, led by our singing, costumed troupe.

Hard cider and flatbread pizza for sale at the Cider Barn.

                                                      Activities

                 5K Road Race                                           Wassail the Orchard

                Apple Cannons                                        Fairy Door Field

                Mac and Cheese Contest                       Ice Suncatcher Contest

                Knit/Crochet Hat Contest                       Cider Barn Menu

                Skillet Toss Contest                                Winterland Photo Exhibit

                Chili Contest                                            Scavenger Hunt      

                Hot Chocolate Bar                                      Human Dog Sled Pull                              

Racing to raise funds for Lions sight and hearing research.

• The race starts and finishes at The Bromfield School and is run on paved roads
• 5K is RFID chip timed
• $30 registration fee includes race, 2 coupons to local businesses, and admission to Winter Fest
• Day of race registrations will increase to $35
• $20 long sleeved poly-blend t-shirt with race logo available at checkout, also available for purchase at our Square Store and includes 2 coupons to other local businesses
• Day of Registration opens at 8:00 AM
• Race starts at 9:00 AM
• Course map:  5K Course
• Register for the 5K Race at RunSignUp 

Human Dog Sled Pull

The Human Dog Sled Pull is a two person event pulling a weighted sled over a defined course.  Medals for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.

Sign up your team at Winter Fest.

Sign up for our People's Choice Contests:

Medals for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each contest.

One free admission to Winter Fest per contestant

CLICK LINK BELOW TO SIGN UP:

      CHILI CONTEST                MAC & CHEESE CONTEST

**CLICK HERE TO READ THIS INSTRUCTION SHEET FOR RULES ON THE CONTESTS.**

Skillet Toss Contest

Sign up at Winter Fest. 

Knit and Crochet Hat Contest

Enter your hand knit or crocheted hat in our Hat Contest. Enter in either the 14 and under or 15 and over age categories. The The Tangled Thread knitting group will judge the hats first and choose a Best in Show winner.  The hats will then be moved to Winter Fest where we will have a People's Choice contest.  Prizes to top winners in each age category.

Information Sheet

Entry Form 

Printable Entry Form

We are pleased to announce the 2nd Annual Winter Fest Photo Exhibit at the Harvard Lions Club Winter Fest, March 1, 2026 at Carlson’s Cider Barn! The exhibit is of photos of wintry scenes from this winter. Sooooo, pull out your camera or whip out your cellphone and grab that memorable moment outside reflecting your idea of a perfect winter scene. Snow people, sparkling trees, shadows and lights reflecting on icy scenes, birds, and, of course, the ever memorable icicles are welcomed and expected. Warm(ish) scenes of firepits may also show up! Please send or drop off prints ready for hanging to Mary Jo Boynton, 58 Brown Road, Harvard with a note on the back identifying the photographer, age (if under 18), date it was shot, and details of phone or camera, as well as a contact telephone and email. We will display the photos during Winter Fest and your photos can be picked up at the end of Winter Fest.  Any questions, please contact Mary Jo at mjboynton@charter.net or cellphone of 978-337-5357.  We are looking forward to another fabulous exhibit!

Ice Sun Catcher Contest

Bring your homemade ice sun catcher to display and be judged by the Harvard Family Association. Medals to top three winners!

Here's a video showing how to make an ice sun catcher.

And here is another one.

Activities

Activities subject to change due to weather conditions.  Children must be accompanied by an adult.