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It’s festival time - again - in Ely

This weekend’s Harvest Moon Festival won’t have the crowds or the hustle and bustle of Ely’s summer Blueberry/Art Festival.And that’s just how those organizing and attending the event seem to like it.The 11th annual event begins Friday and continues through the weekend at Whiteside Park, and should the weather cooperate, as many as 10,000 people could attend.A smaller version of the July Blueberry event, the Harvest Moon - sponsored by the Ely Chamber of Commerce - includes about 130 arts and craft exhibitors and food vendors.That’s 10 more vendors than there were a year ago, but a far cry from the Blueberry/Art Festival, which has about 250 exhibitors.“This is just more of a low-key type of event,” said Chamber director Linda Fryer. “There aren’t as many booths and there aren’t as many people and it isn’t as crazy down there as it is for Blueberry. In our minds, for the time of year that it is, it’s going to be tough to get it to the point where Blueberry is at.”In addition to the increase in vendors, the 2004 event includes another significant change.Due to scheduling conflicts, the Fischer Brothers Lumberjack Show - long a staple at Ely’s Harvest Moon event - won’t take place this year.Instead, organizers will set up two stages and offer entertainment throughout the day.Musical acts including Pat Surface and Eli Bissonett, Green River Ordinance, Jim Miller, Northwind Crossing and The LaPlants are scheduled to perform.“What we’ve decided to do is concentrate more on the musical entertainment,” said Fryer. “We’ll have two stages. One will be set up on Sheridan Street where the log rolling was. We’ll have a big tent and some seating over there. The other stage will be at the encampment. We’ll alternate between the two stages and that will be continuous each day.”Visitors this weekend will find many of the usual arts and craft exhibitors associated with the Harvest Moon Festival, including wood and leather products, hand-crafted furniture and clothing.Also growing in popularity is the demonstration area, where the crosswalks meet in the park. Throughout the event, visitors can watch as local and regional artists demonstrate their work, including snowshoe making, spinning, birch bark basketry, metal work-casting, polishing, canoe building and more.Among those who will participate are Dee Sauls, Todd DeNio, Debbie Johnson, Janet Hunteman, Pat and Donna Surface, Geary Blankenship, Mel Mattson, Steve Menart, Karen Weed, Mike Sinesio, Anna Adamik, Barbara Walters, Patty Larson, Katy Levings, Eric Mase and the Superior Forest Pipe Band.Harvest Moon visitors will have a variety of food items to pick from, as well, with food and beverage vendors set to open up shop in the traditional food court area on the park’s west side.Festival hours are from noon to 6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.The Chamber is counting on events such as Harvest Moon to extend Ely’s tourist season and bring more visitors - and dollars - to town. September business at area lodging establishments has grown in recent years and the Chamber - buoyed by receipts from the area’s three percent lodging tax - has taken several steps to market the region as both a fall and winter destination.

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