The 51st edition of Brighton’s Applefest is just around the corner.
The four-day festival is a beloved fall tradition, with its roots dating back to 1974 when a few farmers and apple growers first gathered with a couple booths downtown.
In more recent years, the festival celebrating the fall harvest has grown to attract up to 20,000 visitors to the region.
This year’s festival runs Thursday, Sept. 25 to Sunday, Sept. 28, with the bulk of the festivities, including the popular street fair, on Saturday, Sept. 27.
Applefest steering committee chair Laura Knegt says this year’s street fair features more than 190 vendors, and 87 per cent are local – and almost all feature local and Canadian-made products.
From food trucks to all kinds of apple-inspired goodies, one-of-a-kind artisan pieces, and so much more, there will be lots to browse at this year’s downtown fair running 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
And that’s not all that’s happening along Brighton’s Main Street, notes Knegt.
Several other traditional favourites are also returning, including the picturesque helicopter rides happening Saturday and Sunday, the car, tractor and motorcycle show, and the Lions’ children’s village, as well as new roaming “Taste the Harvest” and “Applefest Bucket List” events. These new additions also encourage people to show their local love.
In addition to lighting up the downtown, activities will stretch across the community and to Brighton Public School, King Edward Park, into Codrington, and more.
Last year, Knegt says there were about 350 cars and rides of all kinds packed into the Brighton Public School grounds for the popular car show, and if the weather co-operates, she anticipates a similar figure this year. And the fun will include more than just classic and vintage vehicles.
Wondering what’s on the agenda at King Edward Park? Knegt’s got you covered there, too.
In terms of what else you should know for the festival, admission is free – but select activities hosted by area service clubs and businesses may mean fees to participate.
You can start getting in on the Applefest-inspired fun as early as Monday, Sept. 22 through the “Applefest Bucket List” challenge, which will continue until Oct. 1. The full rundown on how to get involved is available online.
On Thursday, the new “Taste the Harvest” kicks off with local restaurants, food trucks and cafes busting out apple-themed eats and specials. This new addition will see local eateries serving up unique dishes all weekend long.
The traditional ecumenical service is also being hosted at the Owen Gibb Community Hall inside the King Edward Park Community Centre at 7 p.m. Thursday.
On Friday, there’s Lions’ Bingo fun, Apples Eve at the Brighton Speedway – and then the Applefest Shootout the next day – and Applefest Pub Night Friday at the Brighton Legion. The legion also has several other Applefest-weekend-inspired events happening.
In addition to the main events on Saturday, like the street fair, car show, and children’s village, there are community breakfasts happening, music in the park, an emergency services open house at Fire Station No. 1, and more. Meanwhile, on Sunday, helicopter rides are back at King Edward, the Kinsmen host another pancake breakfast, and in the spirit of Applefest, be sure to swing the Codrington Farmers’ Market.
And if you’re looking for some help getting around, Knegt says you won’t have to look far.
As previously reported, the free shuttle bus service runs Saturday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with multiple stops at nine locations. Additional parking is also being set up for Saturday.
Organizers continue to remind festivalgoers the event is smoke- and vape-free, and a no pets bylaw will be enforced.
(Written by: Sarah Hyatt)
