Daylong Vernon Hills Event Will Feature The Harvest Haul, Illinois Agriculture Programming, Yappy Hour With Lazy Dog, Bites & Sips And Bourbon & Bonfires
VERNON HILLS, Ill., Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mellody Farm celebrates the season with its annual Harvest Festival on Sat., Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., bringing together fall activities, live entertainment, food and beverage experiences, pet-friendly programming, and community fundraising throughout the shopping center.
The daylong festival features free activities beginning at 10 a.m., followed by ticketed Harvest Festival Bites & Sips and Bourbon & Bonfires experiences from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Hawthorn School District PTO.
A centerpiece of this year’s festival will be the Mellody Farm Harvest Haul, a shopping center-wide experience encouraging guests to “Fill Your Basket Around the Farm.” Guests can pick up a free Harvest Haul card at festival check-in and visit participating retailers, restaurants and activities throughout Mellody Farm to collect fall-themed stickers. Guests who complete at least eight participating stops can return their cards to receive a free fall-themed Mellody Farm item, while supplies last, and be entered to win prizes.
The grand-prize package will be highlighted by a two-night family getaway to Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa and will include additional prizes and experiences from Mellody Farm businesses, including a Hydrafacial from OVME Medical Aesthetics, retail items from European Wax Center, a prize from SITKA Gear and additional dining, merchandise and tenant contributions.
From 10 a.m. to early afternoon, the festival will also feature an Illinois Agriculture & Urban Farm Zone. From 10 to 11:30 a.m., guests can take part in a free “Winterizing Your Garden” workshop, offering seasonal tips and practical guidance for preparing home gardens for the colder months. The morning programming also features Biscuits & Bloody Marys, a special Bites & Sips offering with biscuits and seasonal beverages, including lemonade, cider and Bloody Marys.
Representatives from the Lake County Farm Bureau, University of Illinois Extension and Illinois Sustainable Agriculture Partnership are also participating with activities and conversations focused on Illinois agriculture, urban farming, soil health, sustainability, gardening and local hunger-relief efforts.
Throughout the center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., guests will encounter roaming entertainment. Programming includes a mix of face painting, balloon artists, photo opportunities, seasonal characters and Mellody Farm’s four-legged ambassador, Keenam, who will make appearances throughout the property.
From 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Yappy Hour presented by Lazy Dog will put the spotlight on Mellody Farm’s canine guests. The pet-friendly event is planned to include a fall pet costume contest, pet photo opportunities, giveaways and a pet rescue and adoption event with PAWS Chicago. Costumed pets and their owners also will be invited to join a festive pet parade through Mellody Farm.
Beginning at 4 p.m., the festival will transition into its primary evening celebration with live music from Big Boss and the Toes and a Harvest Festival Bites & Sips experience. The festival will feature approximately six Bites & Sips stations with participating restaurants including City Works, Tangled Roots, Mendocino Farms and Lazy Dog. Offerings will range from meatloaf sliders and pretzels to beer, house-made lemonade and other seasonal bites and beverages.
A separate Bourbon & Bonfires experience with Aged in Oak will feature bourbon tastings, curated flights, bourbon education and gathering areas around Mellody Farm’s fire pits.
Tickets are $35 for Harvest Festival Bites & Sips, $35 for Bourbon & Bonfires or $55 for a package that includes both experiences. A $20 designated driver ticket also will be available. Most daytime festival programming is free and open to the public.
The festival also will help launch Mellody Farm’s seasonal community giving initiative, encouraging guests to donate nonperishable food and clothing to support local families and hunger-relief efforts.
The Harvest Haul Grand Prize will be announced at approximately 7:30 p.m., and the festival will conclude at 8 p.m. Guests are encouraged to remain at Mellody Farm for dinner, drinks and evening shopping.
Harvest Festival Bites & Sips tickets can be purchased online at omella.com/267p5. Additional festival programming and participating businesses can be found at www.mellodyfarm.com.
About Mellody Farm
Located in the heart of Vernon Hills, Illinois, Mellody Farm is an open-air shopping, dining and lifestyle destination owned and operated by Regency Centers. Conveniently located at the corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Townline Road, just two miles west of Interstate 94, the center features approximately 270,000 square feet of retail, restaurants and entertainment alongside 260 executive apartments. Designed as a vibrant community gathering place, Mellody Farm offers a thoughtfully curated mix of national retailers, local dining experiences and year-round events that bring people together through shopping, dining, wellness and community engagement.
Mellody Farm
851-1101 Milwaukee Avenue
Vernon Hills, IL 60061
www.mellodyfarm.com
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SOURCE Mellody Farm/Regency Centers
