FINDLEY LAKE – The northern shores of Findley Lake will be crammed with people and activities next weekend with the coming of hamlet’s 19th annual Harvest Festival.

The annual festival is held on or in the vicinity of Labor Day weekend each year, and this year’s event – which runs from Friday, Sept. 2 through Sunday, Sept. 4 – is slated to feature the largest number of vendors ever hosted by the festival committee. Larry Gross, owner of Our Own Candle Company or co-coordinator of the festival, said some big changes that were implemented last year were received favorably by the public and that this year’s festival will reflect those changes on a grander scale.

“(Last year) was our best year ever,” Gross said. “We had a great art and antique show last year, and so we’ll be doing more of the same this year. We’ve expanded the amount of antiques and art to have more a presence than they have in the past, and we’ll also have more vendors this year than we’ve had in at least the a half dozen years.”

Gross said live music will also be heavily featured in this year’s festival, which will run from 5-8 p.m. on Sept. 2, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sept. 3 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 4. He said the music would be performed for practically the entire duration: “You’d be hard-pressed to find a time during that three-day period when there wouldn’t be a live band playing.”

Scheduled to perform at this year’s festival are: Mike and Marie; Brokenstraw; Lance Kinal; Uncle Earle; Amanda Barton and Charity Nuse; Highlife; Matt and Josh; and Kev Rowe.

As with last year, there will not be a fireworks display, as Gross said the money that had traditionally been set aside for such a display is now being spent in other areas, such as an inflatable circus for the kids in attendance. As with the arts and antiques show, these children’s activities have also been expanded upon for the 2016 edition of the Harvest Festival, which will feature an obstacle course, face painter,s water slides (weather permitting), bounce houses and crafts.

“We’re going to see how much we can cram into three days, and we’re very excited,” Gross said. “The feedback we’re getting from social media sites and phone calls has been fantastic.”

For more information on the Findley Lake Harvest Festival, as well as a complete schedule of live music and events, visit findleylakeinfo.org or call the Findley Lake Chamber of Commerce at 769-7609.