DATE

Sunday, November 22, 2026

Volunteer Arrival: 12:00 PM

Vendor Setup: 1:00 PM

Event Hours: 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM

LOCATION

Historic Downtown Austell

Broad Street

Austell, Georgia

EVENT PURPOSE

Harvest of Hope is Fertile Ground Incorporated's signature fall community gathering, designed to strengthen families before the holiday season through wellness, food access, housing stability resources, volunteerism, local business engagement, environmental stewardship, and meaningful community connection.

The event celebrates gratitude while connecting residents with organizations, services, businesses, and neighbors that help communities thrive.

EVENT FOOTPRINT

Broad Street

Vendor options: - Community / Resource / Nonprofit Vendor — $50

Business / Art / Retail Vendor, No Food — $50

Food Vendor, No Truck — $75 -

Food Truck / Mobile Food Vendor — $75

Participating Downtown Austell Business — $0, by approval or invitation

🌾 HARVEST OF HOPE COMMUNITY CARE DRIVE

Help us Harvest Hope by supporting local families as they prepare for the holiday season.

Requested Donations:

• Shelf-Stable Food

• Thanksgiving Meal Items

• Grocery Gift Cards

• Winter Coats

• Hats & Gloves

• Blankets

• Household Cleaning Supplies

• Hygiene Products

• Baby Essentials

• Pet Food

• Children's Books

• Volunteer Time

Together we can help local families enter the holiday season with dignity, hope, and support.

🎁 SEASON OF GIVING DRIVE

Official Kickoff:

National Night Out

The Harvest of Hope Community Care Fair will continue collecting donations that will benefit Fertile Ground Incorporated's annual community Christmas celebration:

"'Twas A Night Before Christmas"

Community members may donate throughout the holiday season.

Official Collection Site

The Alchemist Den

Additional community collection partners and temporary storage locations will be welcomed to support the growing donation drive.

Requested donations include:

• New Toys

• Teen Gifts

• Electronics

• Gift Cards

• Books

• Sports Equipment

• Musical Instruments

• STEM Kits

• Art Supplies

• Winter Clothing

• Family Games

🌿 WELLNESS & RESOURCE VILLAGE

Meet organizations providing services including:

• Health & Wellness Providers

• Pediatric Services

• Mental Health Resources

• Family Support Programs

• Housing Stability Resources

• Food Assistance Programs

• Financial Literacy

• Workforce Development

• Veteran Services

• Senior Services

• Immigrant & Refugee Resources

• Youth Programs

• Holiday Assistance Programs

• Utility & Energy Assistance

🚓 COMMUNITY SAFETY CORRIDOR

Invited Participants:

• Austell Police Department

• Cobb County Police Department

• Austell Fire Department

• Cobb County Fire & Emergency Services

• Emergency Management

Family-friendly demonstrations, emergency preparedness education, and public safety engagement.

🏛 COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP ROW

Meet representatives from:

• City of Austell

• City Council

• Cobb County

• Neighborhood Associations

• HOA Representatives

• Faith Communities

• Civic Organizations

• Community Development Organizations

• Nonprofit Partners

Learn how to become involved in strengthening your community.

🎵 MUSIC THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN

Featuring:

• East DJ Stage

• West DJ Stage

DJ/Live music throughout the event creating an energetic, family-friendly atmosphere across Broad Street.

🎨 HARVEST TO HOLIDAY COMMUNITY ART PROJECT

Hosted in partnership with the Austell Art Alliance.

Families and children are invited to paint and decorate:

• Pumpkins

• Paper Turkeys

• Christmas Trees

• Sleighs

• Gift Boxes

• Santa Claus Decorations

Gratitude Wall

Participants are invited to share messages of gratitude, encouragement, hope, and appreciation for their community by decorating turkey feathers and adding heartfelt notes to the Harvest of Hope Gratitude Wall.

Community Holiday Art Walk

Following the event, the Henderson's have been invited to partner in displaying the community-created artwork within their business as part of a downtown holiday art installation.

Additional participating downtown businesses—including The Alchemist Den and other community partners—will also be invited to display artwork created during Harvest of Hope, transforming Historic Downtown Austell into a community-designed holiday gallery.

Families will be encouraged to revisit downtown as well as the Threadmill complex if the city agrees to be a host site for any of the gratitude/holiday decor, throughout the holiday season to view the artwork on display, support local businesses, and experience decorations created by members of the community.

This initiative connects Harvest of Hope with "'Twas A Night Before Christmas," celebrates local creativity, encourages repeat visits to Historic Downtown Austell, and fosters community pride through public art created by and for Austell residents.

Decorating multiple downtown amd city-wide businesses turns the artwork into a community-wide holiday installation instead of a single display. It reinforces that Harvest of Hope belongs to all of Downtown Austell and gives families another reason to revisit the district throughout the holiday season. 

To imagine taking it a step further, making the events relevant imagine giving each participating business a small window decal:

Official Harvest to Holiday Art Walk Stop

Families are invited to stroll through downtown in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, visiting businesses to see the children's artwork, shop locally, and enjoy the holiday atmosphere, extending the impact of the event well beyond a single afternoon and aligning with the goals of community building, placemaking, and supporting Downtown Austell businesses.r.

❤️ FAMILY ACTIVITY VILLAGE

• Community Art Activities

• Face Painting

• Family Games

• Gratitude Wall

• Harvest Photo Booth

• Interactive Children's Activities

• Seasonal Crafts

🛍 HARVEST MARKETPLACE

Featuring:

• Artists

• Makers

• Farmers

• Wellness Practitioners

• Small Businesses

• Holiday Vendors

• Community Organizations

• Nonprofits

🌽 THE FGI COMMUNITY TABLE

A signature Harvest of Hope experience.

Families, volunteers, organizations, business owners, and community leaders are invited to share:

• Why they love Austell

• Community needs

• Future opportunities

• Ways to become involved

• Building stronger neighborhoods together

🎟 HARVEST THE GOLDEN TICKET

A downtown business engagement initiative.

Participants receive a Harvest Passport upon checking in.

They are invited to visit participating downtown businesses throughout the event.

Each participating business determines how guests may participate, including:

• Meeting the owner or staff

• Receiving a special event discount

• Making a purchase

• Sampling products

• Participating in a family activity

• Visiting a donation collection site for "'Twas A Night Before Christmas"

• Learning about the business and its role within the community

Participants will:

• Visit participating businesses

• Take a photo with a business representative

• Share the photo on social media using the official event hashtag

#HarvestOfHopeAustell

• Receive a passport stamp from each participating business

Completed passports are returned to The Alchemist Den, where participants will be entered into the Harvest the Golden Ticket Grand Prize Drawing.

Golden Ticket Prize Ideas

• Downtown Gift Basket

• Restaurant Gift Cards

• Garden Basket

• Holiday Family Experience Package

• Millenheirs Products

• The Alchemist Den Gift Certificates

• Donations from Participating Businesses

This initiative encourages residents to explore Historic Downtown Austell while directly supporting local businesses and fostering new community relationships.

🛂 COMMUNITY RESOURCE PASSPORT

Families are encouraged to visit participating organizations throughout the event.

Completed passports become eligible for prize drawings while encouraging residents to discover valuable services available throughout Austell and South Cobb.

🍴 LOCAL FOOD & TREATS

Support local restaurants, cafés, bakeries, specialty food vendors, and community organizations serving meals, refreshments, desserts, coffee, tea, and seasonal treats.

🌱 VOLUNTEER & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Learn how to become involved with:

• Fertile Ground Incorporated

• True Alchemy Gardens

• Community Garden Projects

• Beautification Initiatives

• Seed Library

• Housing Stability Programs

• Environmental Stewardship

• Future Community Events

HOSTED BY

Fertile Ground Incorporated

COMMUNITY PARTNERS WELCOMED

True Alchemy Gardens

The Alchemist Den

City of Austell

Austell Business Association

Healthcare Providers

Public Safety Agencies

Community Organizations

Faith Communities

Local Businesses

Schools

Artists

Volunteers

EVENT THEME

Harvesting Hope.

Cultivating Community.

Preparing Together.

As the holiday season approaches, Harvest of Hope invites neighbors to gather, connect, learn, volunteer, support local businesses, celebrate gratitude, and prepare together for the season ahead. Through wellness, resources, food access, art, music, volunteerism, and community engagement, Harvest of Hope cultivates stronger relationships, healthier families, and a more connected Austell.