As the sun sank low over Fire Station Park on Saturday, a crisp autumn breeze carried the smell of buttery popcorn and the mellow sounds of indie-folk music across the town of Starkville. Families and friends gathered here for Harvest Jam, a night filled with fall-themed activities and food trucks, along with performances by Headliner Jack Van Cleaf and Starkville Local Isabella Brown.

Mississippi State University’s Music Maker Productions welcomed guests to Fire Station Park at 5:30 p.m. for a variety of activities and food while they awaited the music performance. Guests scattered throughout the park, some painting pumpkins, some playing spike ball or cornhole and some simply enjoying the autumnal weather with their friends. Ghosts and spiderwebs from the face painting tent decorated people’s faces as they crowded around the festive banner and hay bales set up as a photo-op.

Sophomore architecture major Camlin Reazin described how much she enjoyed the quality time spent with her friends at this event.

“It was nice to get a break from school,” Reazin said. “Being out there with all of my best buds was a great experience.”

Around 6:30 p.m., while guests wandered through the various activities and enjoyed free popcorn and soda, Starkville local and opener Isabella Brown took the stage. The soothing melodies she played on her acoustic guitar cast a mellow feel onto the audience as they indulged in the cozy fall energy.

Brown played a mix of original songs and covers, including the fall-favorite “Sweater Weather” by the Neighborhood. Her acoustic rendition of this song added to the autumnal atmosphere and left the crowd smiling.

As the sun sank lower and lower, twinkling string lights filled Fire Station Park with a warm light that contributed to the ambiance that Brown created with her music.

Brown wrapped up her set around 7:30 p.m. and left the crowd excited for more. Shortly after, Jack Van Cleaf took the stage with his song “Ingrid” from his album “Fruit from the Trees.”

Van Cleaf, California-born and Nashville-based, is an indie-folk singer and songwriter who has opened for popular indie artist Noah Kahan and co-written a song called “Rattlesnake” with country artist Zach Bryan. His music is often described as poignant and cathartic.

Van Cleaf was joined on stage by banjo player Ethan Fortenberry. Van Cleaf informed the audience that Fortenberry has played with him on many of his recorded songs as well as in his live performances. His skillful banjo playing added a folk element to the songs that contributed greatly to the atmosphere of the event.

Cooper Word, a senior microbiology and interdisciplinary studies major at MSU and Student Director of MSU’s Music Maker Productions, explained that they knew Van Cleaf’s music would be perfect for their harvest-themed event.

“We knew with this show that we wanted an outdoors, folksy show,” Word said. “His music is just the perfect vibe for sitting outside in a chair in the fall weather and listening to a guy strum a guitar.”

Van Cleaf played a variety of songs from his discography. Between his second and third song, he took a moment to explain that he would be performing some narrative folk songs that he categorized as “Nashville Murder Ballads.”

He then played his song “The Primrose Chopper” from his album “Music City Murder Ballads,” a song that tells a thrilling story of a character named Gatlin Elaine, who rides a motorcycle and uses it to lure men to their deaths. He later played a second song from this album titled “The Case of Bucky Briar,” in which the narrator murders his friend out of jealousy and competition in Music City. These enthralling stories captivated the audience as they nodded along to the tuneful melodies that accompanied them.

Van Cleaf finished his set with the popular track “Rattlesnake,” a moving song that captures the feeling of people being lost in their youth. This song, which has over 20 million listens on Spotify, enchanted the audience with its gentle melody and meaningful lyrics.

As the night came to a close, sophomore architecture major David Howard reflected on the best parts of the night, saying how much he loved the details of the event.

“Free popcorn, free snacks, amazing music, the atmosphere is great…It’s overall just an amazing experience,” Howard said. “I hope that he [Van Cleaf] comes back.”

Harvest Jam was a success with a chill breeze and warm, cozy feelings that came from good food, community and music: a perfect beginning to the fall season.