By Rachel Ezzo
As crisp autumn air rolled into Atlanta’s Ormewood neighborhood (and a little bit of rain), so did the sounds of music, laughter, and community at Red’s Fall Fest, hosted by Urban Farm in Ormewood (UFO) on Sunday, October 26. The beloved neighborhood tradition drew hundreds of residents, families, and friends to celebrate local food, art, and the enduring legacy of Farmer Brian “Red” Harrison.
Red’s Fall Fest is a tribute to Brian “Farmer Red” Harrison, who founded the Urban Farm in Ormewood nearly 30 years ago. Known for his red hair, warm smile, and tireless dedication to teaching others about the land, Red transformed a collection of vacant lots into a thriving community space where neighbors could garden, learn, and connect.
This year’s festival carried that same spirit forward – honoring Red’s vision of connecting community and nature. The Farm is now part of the City of Atlanta’s park system and officially is known as Red’s Farm Preserve, ensuring that Red’s legacy will continue to grow for generations.
From morning yoga and coffee to live music, farm tours, and a bustling harvest market, Red’s Fall Fest offered something for everyone. Children played in the garden, willow weavers shared their craft under the shade of trees, a beekeeping demonstration, pumpkin patch and more!
Guests browsed local vendors or chatted with neighbors over food from local vendors.
Midday, the sound of music filled the air as local bands took the stage. Volunteers led educational tours of the farm’s greenhouse and raised beds, sharing how UFO (Urban Farm in Ormewood, Inc, a non-profit formed by community members) stewards this special place. The rain held off for most of the day but, despite rain showers in the last hour, guests stayed to enjoy the music! The day concluded with an after-party at Side Saddle Wine Saloon, in Boulevard Heights, where 10% of proceeds were donated back to the Urban Farm in Ormewood.
Proceeds from the festival directly support UFO’s mission to promote urban agriculture, sustainability, regenerative gardening, and nature education in southeast Atlanta. Funds will help to sustain and grow the programs of UFO. Highlighting the organization’s growth, UFO announced that Red’s Farm Preserve is this year’s recipient of Park Pride’s Visioning process. Each year, Park Pride guides up to two parks through a public engagement process that converts that community’s ideas and dreams into a conceptual vision plan that can be used to guide community-based development of the park over a longer period (www.parkpride.org). Park Pride’s Visioning team and a steering committee composed of neighbors will send out a survey and lead 3 public meetings to help hone in on a cohesive and collective voice for this forward-looking plan. Stay tuned for more details!
The festival’s success reflects more than one day of fun- it’s a testament to what’s possible when neighbors invest in their shared spaces. Local businesses, vendors, and nonprofits joined forces as sponsors and volunteers, proving that grassroots collaboration can yield big results. UFO wants to acknowledge and thank our sponsors – Rachael Smith Bolst Realty, McManamy McLeod Heller Law Firm, Councilman Jason Winston, Boutte Tree, Side Saddle Wine Saloon, Williams Teusink, About Play Therapy, Ashley Holley Coaching, Catalyst Studioz, East Atlanta Copy Center, The Energetic Heart, Halidom Eatery, Ollie’s Market & Deli, and Sons of Pitches.
Special shoutout to Howie Krisel, of KJ and FunkMaysons, and Wilson Sheldon for sponsoring our stage. UFO is also grateful to our dedicated volunteers who planned the festival including: Rachel Ezzo, Rebecca Reese, Susie Aquino, Sarah Corbett, Hattie Gelhausen, Kati Heller, Grace Kim, Ken Lovell, Andrew Newby and Wilson Sheldon. Maddy Hay coordinated volunteers the day of the festival. We are especially grateful to the UFO gardeners and Board for their support of the festival!
As the sun set over the farm and the last notes of music faded, one thing was clear: Red’s Fall Fest is not just an event — it’s a movement. It is a reminder that even in the heart of a busy city, community can still take root and flourish.
To learn more about the Urban Farm in Ormewood or to get involved, visit www.ufoatlanta.org.
We look forward to bringing Red’s Fall Fest back next year!
