Harvest Festival in Shelley to spotlight Idaho’s culture with hands-on learning

SHELLEY, Idaho (News Release)– A free, hands-on community event in Shelley this coming weekend will offer a peek into Idaho’s culture and history.

“We want to bring the humanities to life,” said Janel Andersen, the event’s manager. “The public of all ages is invited to explore Idaho’s history and culture in an engaging way.”

The Snake River Homestead where the event will take place on Saturday, October 17th from 2 to 5 p.m. is just east from I-15’s Exit 108. “From Homestead to Community: Exploring Idaho’s Cultural Roots and Shared Stories” is the theme for the 2026 Harvest Festival. The event is partially funded by a grant from the Idaho Humanities Council, a state-based partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The afternoon will feature both structured presentations and interactive dialogue, creating opportunities for participants to engage directly with scholars and reflect on multiple interpretations of the past, Andersen said. Some of the several presenters include a bee keeper, weavers, tin smith, farrier, Dutch oven cooking demonstration with samples, and mountain men, complete with tomahawk throwing, black powder demonstrations, traps, skulls and firs. 

John Bevan’s mountain man name is Surefire. He is from Teton Valley and looks forward to sharing his knowledge of tomahawks and black powder firearms.

“I grew up trapping furbearers to earn a little extra spending money and I’ve always been interested in the mountain man era, especially black powder firearms,” said Bevan, who serves as the Range Officer of the Fort Henry Buckskinners. “Over the years, I’ve built several traditional black powder guns.”

Adam Finehout of Rexburg is looking forward to sharing his love of history at the Harvest Festival. He started dressing up as a mountain man so kids could see real historical artifacts and have a fun experience learning about history. 

“History doesn’t have to be boring,” Finehout said. “In fact, it should be fun and hands on!”

Another key presenter at the Harvest Festival is Bailey Dann from the Shoshone-Bannock tribe in Fort Hall. She is the Research and Education Specialist at her tribe’s Language and Cultural Preservation Department, operating within the Office of Original Territories and Historical Research.

“It’s going to be a fun fall event for the whole family,” Andersen said. “Come enjoy the beautiful Snake River Homestead while learning about our great Idaho culture.”