Harvest Fest is a bittersweet event in some ways.

It marks the end of the farmers market for the year, the end of summer, the end of the growing season.

But it also can be a rather wacky festival, thanks to the annual Harvest Fest Relay Races.

The races will be held around noon Saturday, Oct. 11 at the Coupeville Farmers Market.

Each team should have at least five members with a $100 minimum sponsorship.

However, teams of more than five members are welcome, said Peg Tennant, market manager. Teams with four members mean one person will have to double-up.

What exactly the teams will be doing remains a mystery until the event.

“We try to keep it a surprise,” Tennant said. “Nobody knows what it’s going to be until they get there.”

Activities will be farm- and food-related.

“We take that and try to get as creative as we can with it,” Tennant said.

In past years, teams have tossed a fish, put on gloves and shelled Rockwell beans, pushed gourds with a broom through an agility course and tossed produce through a hoop.

One thing that is being retired this year is a cow that was used to simulate milking.

Relays usually last about 45 minutes, depending on how many teams sign up.

Registration is being accepted now, but will be accepted up until the event.

Teams should arrive at the market at 11:30 a.m.

The annual event is the biggest fundraiser of the year for Gifts From the Heart food bank.

In the last two years, the races have raised roughly $10,000.

“Not bad for a small town,” Tennant said.

Gifts from the Heart serves 100-110 families in Coupeville and Greenbank. It disperses food on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month with the exception of December, when food is dispersed the first and third Wednesdays.

The food bank also supports a program called Meals 2 Kids, which supplies bags of food each week for students in need. The food is to help through the weekends.

The program supports more than 40 students in Coupeville schools.

It costs the food bank $5 per week, per child for the program.

Food supplies includes two breakfasts, two lunches, two snacks and two pieces of fruit.

The food bank accepts donations year-round.

Items requested specifically for this program include single-serving fruit cups, applesauce, oatmeal, canned entrees like ravioli or stew and snack items like granola bars.

Sponsoring one child for the entire school year costs $185.

Checks should be made out to Gifts from the Heart and can be sent to P.O. Box 155, Coupeville, WA 98239.

To download a registration form for the relay, go to www.giftsfromtheheartfood

bank.com