NEW ALBANY, Ind. (WDRB) -- Thursday was the first day of the annual Harvest Homecoming festival in downtown New Albany.
It's expected to bring in nearly 700,000 people over the next four days. One of them is Jane Watkins.
Watkins' son said she celebrated her 100th birthday back in August and has never missed a Harvest Homecoming since it started.
This year is the 58th year for the festival, which started in 1967. That means Watkins has been attending the event for more than half of her life.
Watkins said it's almost a habit at this point, which is why she keeps going back. But, she said, the festival has grown immensely since her first visit.
"They didn't have any vendors or anything, just kids walking down the street and that's about it," she said.
Watkins said her favorite part of Harvest Homecoming is the people and the food, especially the bloomin' onion.
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