“Having these free family events are a great way for people to get an introduction (to the market),” she said. “It helps bring people here in a different way.”

Hymes said the market uses a number of MSU volunteers in addition to the four MSU interns this semester.

Dietetics junior Samantha Sullivan, a Lansing City Market intern, said the event is designed to educate people on healthy living styles.

“The main goal of this is to get people to start living healthier, and doing it on their own,” she said.

Psychology sophomore Chelsea Hull also is an intern with the Lansing City Market. She was face painting kids at the festival and said about 50 people were present to enjoy the festivities at any time throughout the day.

Hull said the location of the market on Lansing’s river trail helps attract people to come to events like the Harvest Festival.

“We have enough fun events to make people wander over (from the river trial),” she said.

Dietetics senior and Lansing City Market intern Mary Arnold said it was pretty easy for MSU students to volunteer at the market.

“It’s really fun, and everyone loves what they do here,” she said. “There’s always room for more people. A lot of the times they don’t make you fill out an application to volunteer.”

Arnold said the local vendors that come are important to the education of the public during events like this.

One of those vendors is Sierra Rose Farm, from Dewitt, Mich. The farm brought miniature horses to the festival that were available for petting.

Sierra Rose Farms owner Lee Ann Hull said the farm has 30 miniature horses that are used as support tools for women and children in emotional crises.

Lee Ann Hull said last year was the first time the farm came to the Harvest Festival.

“Periodically, we’ll bring the horses to the market for other events,” she said.