Harvest Festival 2025: What is it? And are you doing anything to celebrate?

Harvest Festival celebrates the time of year when crops have been gathered from the field and people can reflect and show gratitude for the food they have.

Celebrating harvest dates long into British history, to a time when farmers would give thanks for a good harvest.

Many of you learn about harvest time at school, and collect food for those in need in your local community.

Some of you might have a special assembly, or collect food parcels to give out.

The festival is usually celebrated on the Sunday nearest to the Harvest Moon. This year's is on 7 October.

We want to know how you're celebrating Harvest Festival at school this year, so head to the comments and let us know! You can also take part in our vote.

What is Harvest Festival?

Harvest festivals are believed to date back to ancient Britain. Other cultures and some religions celebrate a similar festival, usually during the season when lots of food is ready to be harvested.

In the UK farmers gave thanks for a good harvest during the full moon closest to the autumn equinox, it was important to them because it meant they could store the food and eat well through the harsh winter months when very little would grow.

Schools often ask pupils to bring in tinned or dried foods which can be donated to people who need it

The celebrations became popular again in Victorian times as a kind of 'thanksgiving' service, including prayer and church services.

While we don't all grow our own food anymore, Harvest festivals are still considered an important way to learn about the process of how food gets from farms to our tables, gratitude and giving, as well as being a key date in the calendar of different religions.