If you’ve been around Havana for a while, you probably think of certain things when you hear the word “tradition.” The historic downtown, shade tobacco, antique shops, PumpkinFest… The places and events that have been part of Havana for years.
WoodFest isn’t one of those… at least not yet.
Havana’s first WoodFest was held in 2022, bringing woodworkers, artists, vendors and handmade creations into downtown. It was a new idea built around something that has been part of the area’s history: wood and the timber industry.
Now, WoodFest is back for it’s fourth year. And maybe someday, people will have a hard time remembering Havana without it.
Havana WoodFest
Downtown Havana
Saturday September 12th 2026
10am-4pm
Remember When Havana Had…
One of the fun things about living in a town with as much history as Havana is realizing just how much has changed. Take downtown.
In 1959, you could stop by Spencer Scott’s IGA on 7th Avenue to buy your groceries. The store was located between Main Street and 1st Street West.
And if you wanted a night out, you could head over to the Havana Theatre on 7th Avenue near Main Street. (I am sure there are lots more you remember, let us know in the comments)
The Havana Theatre opened in 1940 and was a part of downtown Havana until it closed in the 1960s. The last movie reportedly shown there was The Day of the Triffids. The grocery store is gone. The theater is gone. The downtown Havana they belonged to has changed considerably. But that’s how small-town history works.
Businesses come and go. Buildings get new lives. New events appear on the calendar. And eventually, the things that once seemed completely ordinary become the stories we tell.
Maybe WoodFest Will Be One of Those Stories
WoodFest is still new. There isn’t decades of history behind it yet. But that’s how traditions start. Someone has an idea. People show up. They do it again the next year… and then again. Before long, something that was once new becomes part of the town.
So when you head downtown for WoodFest this Saturday, September 12th, 2026, take a look around. Enjoy the woodworkers, handmade creations, food and music. But also take a moment to think about the Havana that was here before. The grocery stores. The movie theater. The businesses. The people. And all the things that haven’t happened yet.
Because someday, WoodFest itself might be one of those things someone says:”I don’t remember a September without WoodFest”
What else do you remember Havana having that no longer exists?
