HarvestFest

Willow Creek Grill Brings Signature Event to Eagle

Zachary Chalkus is a series foodie. Since the age of 21, when he worked his way up from server to manager of a busy Chicago restaurant, he knew his future was in food.
“I love getting people together and serving them the perfect menu in the right atmosphere so that they have a great time and leave with a big smile on their face,” said Chalkus, from a seat at the Willow Creek Grill, a prominent recent additional to Eagle’s dining scene where he serves as general manager.

This penchant for throwing the perfect party sparked Chalkus to come up with an idea for an event like none other in Eagle—Harvest Fest. “We thought it would be fun to put together a special fall party and get everyone together outside to celebrate before the weather changes,” said Chalkus.  He and his staff at Willow Creek Grill teamed with Eagle Magazine to plan the event and bring it to the community. On October 3, the parking lot outside the restaurant will be transformed into Harvest Fest, the first and only event of its kind in Eagle.
Bag pipers will kick off the festivities at 1:00p.m., and the event will feature local food, music, and fashion until 9:00p.m.
Some of the area’s favorite bands including Audio Moonshine, Tina and the Big Belt Buckle Band and Mad Hopper and the Roman Candles will get the crowd rocking to their own brands of blue grass, rock and folk.

Chalkus and his crew will be cooking up a fall feast of Brats, grilled onions, grinders, and of course Willow Creek Grill’s signature sweet potato fries with chipotle mayonnaise. Like all of Willow Creek’s dishes, the Fest food will be as fresh and local as they can make it. “Our meat is from Snake River Farms, we don’t use any packaged sauces, and we always know where our ingredients come from.”
Seven local breweries will be on hand pouring their signature fall brews and two local wineries will serve a selection of their finest wines. These include Hayden Beverage, Three Horse Ranch, Wood River Cellars, to name a few.

A special twist that Harvest Fest will bring is an element of fashion — models for local boutiques Coco Couture, Mimi Marie, Club and Ruby Lou will present the latest styles for fall in fashion shows that will run throughout the day and into the night. The outfits will showcase collections from a multitude of designers carried by these local boutiques.

Tickets are $20 per person and include tasting of each one of the featured beers and wines. Additional beverages are available for $3.00 each and food items range from $3.00 to $5.00. Raffle tickets for a variety of prizes will also be available for purchase.
The event is a charity benefit for Gloria Academy, a local school for autistic children pre-school and K-12. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Harvest Fest will provide the perfect venue for families and friends to gather and enjoy food, music and fashion. “There are so many fantastic people involved in putting the Harvest Fest on. I hope this will be the start of something new, something big in Eagle,” said Chalkus.