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In this 2023 file photo, kids bounce around on inflatables at Montezuma's old Zuma Days festival at Zuma Park. The festival is now Zuma Harvest Festival.
MONTEZUMA - Zuma Harvest Festival will make its debut on Saturday at Zuma Park, offering attendees a bounty of food, beer and entertainment, including a 75-inch TV to catch all the college football action, bounce houses and ponies for the kids and a DJ and band.
Faced with the problems of dwindling crowds because of competition with other area festivals and a shortage of volunteers, organizers of the long-running Zuma Days decided to move the festival from June to September.
They also rechristened the now one-day event to reflect its seasonal vibe, distinct from most of the other area festivals taking place in the summer, according to board president Andy Ball.
"I've been trying to move it to fall since I got here because we compete with so many (area festivals) on our Father's Day weekend. It's hard to get a good turnout every year," he said. "We're going to see how it goes. We hope it's a great successful year and if it does continue and a whole bunch of people show up we're going to keep on going."
Organizers have nailed down a full-slate of activities and secured enough volunteers to pull off the harvest festival that gets underway at 11 a.m. at Zuma Park, located at 6700 Brookside Drive, Celina.
"The Pit" food stand will serve up hickory smoked pulled pork and brisket sandwiches, burgers, pork ribs, a concoction of glazed ground pork filled with cream cheese and jalapeños dubbed armadillo eggs and a slew of sides, including fried cheese curds, mac and cheese, cowboy baked beans, fries and chips.
There'll also be food trucks, beer stands, pull tabs and 50/50.
In this 2021 file photo, hungry folks hit one of the popular food trucks at the old Zuma Fest.
"We've got a full day for everybody," Ball said.
Ball is hoping for a huge turnout for the tractor cruise-in at 1 p.m. on the east side of the main festival tent.
"We have a tractor cruise-in which people are invited to bring their antique tractors or whatever they've got in the garage," Ball said. "Anybody can participate. Whoever shows up, we want them to just cruise in.
"We've got a full concrete parking lot that we hope to just make rows of them in there."
A series of events called the Bartender Relay will begin brewing at 1 p.m.
"It's like minute to win it challenges, and they'll have three-person teams," Ball said.
Numerous teams have already signed up and others can register at 12:30 p.m.
DJ FF Tunes will spin from 3-7 p.m., pony rides will be available from 4-7 p.m., Crazy Craig's Juggling Show starts at 7 p.m. and CPR Band will play from 8:30-11:30 p.m.
"The proceeds will go to Zuma Park," Ball said. "This is mainly for us to raise money so that we can give back to the community that gives us our park."
