On Saturday, September 19, 2026, thousands of Hopewell Valley residents gathered for a day of camaraderie at the 38th Annual Hopewell Harvest Fair. Thanks to the generous support of dozens of local businesses and the hard work of the all-volunteer planning committee and nonprofit partners, this year’s event was a huge success in achieving its two objectives: to bring together and celebrate the incredible community and to raise funds for the Community Grant Program.
Hopewell Harvest Fair President Brendan Elliott says, “What stays with me is the turnout; thousands of people came out, and the energy held all day. People should know what they were part of. This Fair is run entirely by volunteers: twenty-two committee members who’ve been meeting since January, and close to seventy people working the grounds on fair day. Nobody gets paid. Every dollar raised goes back out to local nonprofits through our Community Grant Program, and when we award this year’s grants in November, we’ll cross a quarter of a million dollars given away since 1987. Our community did that by showing up. If you loved it this year, planning for 2027 starts in January, and we could use more hands.”
Contests are a beloved Hopewell Harvest Fair tradition, with opportunities for residents to showcase their talents in a variety of ways. Fairgoers love admiring the work of their neighbors throughout the day! This year’s winners ranged from preschoolers to seniors and represented all of Hopewell Valley, and prizes were generously donated by Peasant Grill, McCaffrey’s, Dandelion Wishes, twine., Aunt Chubby’s Luncheonette, The Bear and the Books, and Boro Bean.
- How Many Hopewells: Susan S.
- Bake-off, guest judged by Hannah McCollum, baker from Aunt Chubby’s Luncheonette
- Best in Show
- Jehan A.: “Sweet Tooth” (pumpkin cheesecake)
- People’s Choice
- Franklin E.: “World Bark” (swirled blue and green candy bark)
- Kids’ Winner
- Margot B.: “It’s a Jolly Autumn” (window cookies with jolly rancher stained glass)
- Teen Winner
- Maccauley D.: “Apple-solutely Awesome Apple Pie Cookies”
- Adult Winner
- Sarah W.: “Pumpkin Whoopie Pies”
- Vegan Winner
- Shanna B.: “Apple Cinnamon Crumb Bars”
- Best in Show
- Doggie Dress-Up, guest Judged by Monica Bill Barnes and Rial Bill Barnes
- Funniest
- 1st place: Maggie (Carrot)
- 2nd place: Jennie (Dragon)
- Most Creative
- 1st place: Luise May Apricot (Pretty Girl)
- Best in Show
- 1st place: Marcel (Bumble Bee)
- 2nd place: Scarlett (Jersey Cow)
- 3rd place: Dante (Zebra)
- Special Judges’ Prize
- Shadow (Giraffe)
- Funniest
- Kids’ Art, guest judged by Ellie Wyeth of Ellie Wyeth Designs
- World Big and Small
- Pre K – 1st grade
- 1st place: Caroline R.
- 2nd place: Eleanor
- 2nd – 4th grade
- 1st place: Margot B.
- 2nd place: Natalie
- 3rd place: Emi G.
- 5th – 8th grade
- 1st place: Hazel B.
- 2nd place: Lauren M.
- 3rd place: Lauren M.
- Honorable Mention: Sophie R.
- Pre K – 1st grade
- Mythical Creatures
- Pre K – 1st grade
- 1st place: Nina T.
- 2nd place: Amelia M.
- 3rd place: Harper R.
- Honorable Mention: Elliot P. and Elizabeth L.
- 2nd – 4th grade
- 1st place: Riley P.
- 2nd place: Clementine
- 3rd place: Natalie
- Honorable Mention: Mary F. and Gavin
- 5th – 8th grade
- 1st place: Everitt R.
- 2nd place: Jackson
- 3rd place: Everitt R.
- Pre K – 1st grade
- Open Theme
- 2nd – 4th grade
- 1st place: Gav
- 5th – 8th grade
- 1st place: Summer
- 2nd – 4th grade
- World Big and Small
- LEGO Contest, guest judged by Chuck Miles of Baxter Construction
- Pre-K
- 1st place: Colin B.
- 2nd place: Mallory
- K – 2nd grade
- 1st place: Luke B.
- 2nd place: James A.
- 3rd place: Oliver P.
- Honorable Mention: Jack L.
- 3rd – 5th grade
- 1st place: Gavin M.
- 2nd place: Brayden B.
- 3rd place: Margot B.
- Honorable Mention: Oskar
- 6th – 12th grade
- 1st place: Nolan A.
- Pre-K
- Photography Contest, guest judged by David Anderson, local photographer
- From My Phone
- 1st place: Nicole M. (lightning)
- 2nd place: Molly S. (caterpillar)
- 3rd place: Allison L. (log)
- Texture
- 1st place: Nicole M. (ferns)
- 2nd place: AMB (white mushroom)
- 3rd place: Dan (bird)
- Bloom
- 1st place: Nikki M. (purple flower)
- 2nd place: Molly S. (lotus)
- 3rd place: Nicole B. (girl)
- Sports/Action
- 1st place: AMB
- 2nd place: Nicole B.
- 3rd place: Nikki M.
- Photographers 14 & under
- 1st place: Gavin
- 2nd place: Nate H.
- 3rd place: Molly L.
- From My Phone
Between contests, fairgoers enjoyed games and amusements including bouncy obstacle courses, archery, a robotics demonstration, a petting zoo, and pony rides, along with local business and nonprofit exhibitors and delicious food from local vendors. The Fair is truly a highlight of the Hopewell Valley community calendar. All this good fun supports a very worthy cause: the Fair’s Community Grant Program.
Since its inception, the Hopewell Harvest Fair has donated more than $234,000 to local community groups and nonprofits through the Community Grant Program. If you would like to contribute to the Fair, you can donate on our website: https://www.hopewellharvestfair.org/donate. Everyone is invited to join on Thursday, November 19 for the Community Grant Ceremony at 6:00 p.m. at the Hopewell Presbyterian Church, 80 W. Broad Street. Please visit our website for details.
Leading Sponsors of the 2026 Fair are Morehouse Engineering, our Main Tent Sponsor; BeOne Medicines USA, Inc. providing pony rides; New Jersey American Water and TechNeed providing a drinking water station (bring your refillable bottles!); Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart and Lennar providing the popular giant Inflatables; dandelion wishes sponsoring Crafters’ Court; Capital Health providing the Dining Tent; Boro Neuro providing therapy animals; and Premier Sponsor, The Bov Foundation.
Platinum Sponsors: Lear & Pannepacker, LLP and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton.
Gold Sponsors: Antimo’s Italian Kitchen, The Bank of Princeton, The Better Athlete, Blackwell Memorial Home, Cats Only Veterinary Hospital, Corcoran Sawyer Smith, CORE Sports Medicine & Lifestyle Medicine, DeSimone & Kelley Orthodontics, D&R Greenway Land Trust, Hopewell Boro Auto Repair, Hopewell Pharmacy and Compounding Center, Hopewell Super Buy Rite, Hunterdon Health, L&A Tent & Event Rentals, McCaffrey’s Food Markets, McDonough & DeSantis Orthodontics, MercerMe, Nomad Pizza, Pensive Weeds, Princeton Montessori School, Provident Bank, Strucra, Trap Rock Industries, and Valley Oil Co.
Silver Sponsors: Baxter Construction Inc., The Bear and the Books, Boswell Engineering, Corveleyn Law Firm, Double Brook Farm, Fox Pest Control, Hopewell Borough Mayor Ryan Kennedy, Hopewell Valley Self Storage, Northwestern Mutual–Princeton, One Compost Can, Peaceful Pilates Studio, Pennington Montessori School, Regent Flooring Kitchen & Bath, Rockcital, Stellitano Home Services Inc., and Wull & Oak,
For more information about the Fair, the people behind it, and ways to promote your business and support the Fair, please visit www.hopewellharvestfair.org or email info@hopewellharvestfair.org. We also encourage everyone to follow us on Facebook and Instagram at @hopewellharvestfair.
