Go Big or Go Home who encourages him not to give up and to "go big or go home". Inspired by her own advice, Leslie proposes restoring the parks department with a Harvest Festival, which was once a Pawnee tradition until eliminated by budget cuts. Leslie and the other parks employees agree that if it is not a success, the parks department will shut down. Impressed by their enthusiasm, Chris and Ben agree to the idea. "Go Big or Go Home", the third season premiere, was written by Alan Yang and directed by Dean Holland. It was the first to feature Adam Scott, Rob Lowe,
Go Big or Go Home Due to the delay, "Go Big or Go Home" is set in the fall, when it was supposed to air, rather than the winter when it was actually broadcast. NBC chief executive officer Jeff Gaspin said this move was not a reflection on "Parks and Recreation", and suggested the extended hiatus would not only have no negative effect on the show, but could actually build anticipation for its return. "Go Big or Go Home" was the first original episode since "Freddy Spaghetti" in May 2010, and executive producer Michael Schur said while he believed it was a strong episode, there