Published: September 06, 2008 01:13 pm      

Harvest Homecoming right around corner

This is Polly Niemeier’s favorite time of the year. It may also be her busiest.

Niemeier is the manager of the Harvest Homecoming Office, located at 431 Pearl St., in New Albany.

The office opened Tuesday and will remain open through Oct. 17. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

“We answer a lot of questions and people come in for different entry forms for the events,” Niemeier said. “That is what we are here for.”

The festival already has had one event — the queen pageant Aug. 23 at Highland Hills Middle School, which was won by Valerie DeVore. However, the official grand opening ceremonies take place prior to the parade Oct. 4. Booth days are Oct. 9-12, and there are plenty of events throughout the week before, and after, the parade.

A new event this year, the Harvest Homecoming Idol Competition, will have a preliminary round Sept. 27. The bicycle ride and the festival’s oldest event, the Pumpkin Decorating Contest, will both be held Sept. 28.

“We definitely get busier the closer we get (to the festival), but we take calls all year long,” Niemeier said. “We have been really busy as far as phone calls go all summer. People had questions about booth applications and deadlines.”

Not only is Niemeier the office manager — she is also in charge of the hot air balloon race Oct. 5.

“It kind of makes you realize we are getting so close to the events,” she said.

DeVore, a senior elementary education major at Indiana University Southeast, also was the queen’s festival in 2005. She said she is looking forward to her second stint as queen.

“I am real excited about all the festivities coming up,” she said. “The first time I was queen I didn’t realize how big of a festival it was. This time around I am looking forward to everything that is going to happen.”