(8/2019) As we enter what may be considered the warmest part of the summer, organizers for local fall festivals are hard at work planning and organizing. The National Apple Harvest Festival is a favorite among locals in Adams County, Frederick County and many throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. This year marks the 55th year of the National Apple Harvest Festival. This old-fashioned family event will be held in October over the weekends of the 5 & 6 and the 12 & 13, at The South Mountain Fairgrounds in Biglerville. The event is held all four days from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. rain or shine.

This family-friendly event has something for everyone including a wide variety of delicious food options, dozens of free entertainment options and hundreds of arts and crafts vendors. "As the festival moves into the future, we want to make sure that we preserve its old-fashioned and rustic feel while implementing new technologies to help each attendee have the best time possible," Publicity Chairman Andrew Robinson said. "We also continue to focus on what people want when they come to a festival like ours - and we've adapted over the years to include dozens of new food options as well as craft beers, wine and liquors."

The festival’s roots date back to October 14, 1961, when The Adams County Fruit Growers Association held an Apple Harvest Holiday to celebrate the apple harvest. After the fruit growers decided not to run the holiday again, The Upper Adams Jaycees organized and sponsored the very first Apple Harvest Festival on October 10, 1965. Admission was free. The Jaycees earned a profit of $297 that first year and voted to try it again. The event only grew from there.

With profits earned from the festival, The Upper Adams Jaycees are able to help support all sorts of community, member and individual projects. A fifteen-member board of directors of Jaycees guides the festival each year, meeting every month and is responsible for improvements to the festival.

The festival’s name says it all, with many apple products and demonstrations available. From apple bread, an apple butter boil, a cold cider press, cider slushies, hot cider, apple desserts of all kinds, and fresh Adams County apples you will be sure to delight in everything apple during the peak of apple season. Besides Apples, there are various other delicious foods available including barbecue chicken, pit beef and pulled pork, French fries, homemade soups and sandwiches, homemade scrapple, and "fair" food.

With admission, entertainment is included on six stages—Apple Auditorium, Appleseed, Bluegrass Hollow, Cider Barrel, Cortland Circle, and Rockin’ Apple. Music of all genres is played including Bluegrass, Country, Rock and Roll, and Celtic. In the Exhibition Area view the Native American Dancers and listen and learn at Van Wagner’s Tall Timber "Lumber Heritage" Program.

Take a hayride, stop at Kid Country—storytelling, apple pie eating contests, and a petting zoo. Enjoy the Orchard Tours, craft demonstration area, and shop at over 300 arts and crafts vendors. Don’t miss the operating steam engine and shingle mill, listen to the hit ‘n miss engines, and enjoy the antique autos! Check out the National Apple Harvest Festival Gallery with displays of old-fashioned apple production equipment and past festival memorabilia.

For more information visit www.appleharvest.com or call 717-677-9413. General admission is $10, $9 for Senior Citizens 60 and older, $9 for Military and Veterans with proper ID, and free for children under 12. Parking and shuttle services are included. Mark your calendar for this year’s festival, coming soon!