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Picture This: Talent Harvest Festival draws thousands to downtown

Scenes from the 54th annual Talent Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 4. Rogue Valley Times photo by Troy Heie
October 5, 2025

The festival included the first-ever ‘Wheely Fun Parade’

By Troy Heie, Rogue Valley Times

Kicked off by a “Wheely Fun Parade” and morning 10K, 5K and 1-mile races hosted by Southern Oregon Runners, the 54th annual Talent Harvest Festival brought thousands to the downtown core Saturday for a day of food, music and fun.

The event was free to attend and included hundreds of vendors, six stages throughout town with live music and performances, family activities such as face painting and lawn games, cider-pressing demonstrations and much more.

With a focus on creativity and inclusion, the festival included the first-ever “Wheely Fun Parade” in collaboration with Talent Maker City, inviting people to bring anything on wheels and participate in the new event.

The Talent Harvest Festival started in 1971 and has been celebrating Talent and the surrounding community’s heritage and culture every year since.

This photo story first appeared in the Rogue Valley Times.

Scenes from the 54th annual Talent Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 4. Rogue Valley Times photo by Troy Heie
Scenes from the 54th annual Talent Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 4. Rogue Valley Times photo by Troy Heie
Scenes from the 54th annual Talent Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 4. Rogue Valley Times photo by Troy Heie
Scenes from the 54th annual Talent Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 4. Rogue Valley Times photo by Troy Heie
Scenes from the 54th annual Talent Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 4. Rogue Valley Times photo by Troy Heie
Scenes from the 54th annual Talent Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 4. Rogue Valley Times photo by Troy Heie
Scenes from the 54th annual Talent Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 4. Rogue Valley Times photo by Troy Heie
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Bert Etling

Bert Etling is the executive editor of Ashland.news. Email him at [email protected].

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