SOUTHINGTON – The 53rd Annual Apple Harvest Festival will bring fireworks, donuts, a parade, entertainment and vendors galore to the town green over two weekends, Sept. 30-Oct. 2 and 7-9 of October
David Lapreay, Apple Harvest festival coordinator and director of the city’s Recreation, Youth and Senior Services, said that in a good year, the long-running festival can draw as many as 100,000 people to the city over the two weekends.
“People know about it and look forward to it as a tradition every fall,” Lapreay said. “We get people from all over the state and some out-of-state visitors. We’re in a great downtown location and have a variety of activities, entertainment, crafts, vendors and food, including the famous donuts of Zion Lutheran Church apple.”
Lapreay said there will be more than 70 vendors at this year’s festival.
Festival highlights include the return of the laser light show, which will take place on September 30 at 8:40 p.m.
On Oct. 1, there will be an apple fritter eating contest at noon and fireworks at 9 p.m.
The Apple Harvest Festival Road Race, sponsored by the Southington Community YMCA, will be held on October 2nd starting at 8:30am.
There will also be an apple pie eating contest on Oct. 2 at 1 p.m. and the apple harvest parade at 2 p.m., with a rain date set for Sunday, Oct. 9.
“Parade day is one of the biggest days of the apple harvest festival,” Lapreay said. “We are still accepting applications to be a part of this and we already have over 60 people and organizations participating.”
The Festival Arts and Crafts Show, which according to Lapreay will have more than 40 vendors, will be held on October 8 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on October 9 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Carnival, which will have different attractions, will be open on both weekends of the festival throughout the festival hours. Family Nights will be held for the carnival on Friday, September 30th and Friday, October 1st, offering unlimited rides all night with the purchase of wristbands for $25 per person.
“There will also be a children’s area with bounce houses in the former Bank of America parking lot during the first weekend of the festival,” Lapreay said.
This year’s entertainment will include several local bands, Lapreay said, including the popular Bruce Springsteen cover band “Tramps like Us,” which will perform Oct. 8.
“They’re a really good band and they’ve played at the Mohegan Sun,” he said.
This year’s entertainment will also include an illusionist, David Garrity, who will perform on October 7 at two times, 5:45 and 7:30 p.m.
For a complete entertainment schedule, visit southingtonahf.com and click on the “entertainment” icon on the left side of the page.
Admission to the Apple Harvest Festival is free.
Free shuttle buses will be provided from Southington High School to and from the festival on both Saturday and Sunday of the festival. There will be no transport service on the Fridays of the festival.
For additional shuttle bus information, visit southingtonahf.com and look for the “directions” icon.
Brian M. Johnson can be reached at 860-973-1806 or bjohnson@bristolpress.com.
Posted in New Britain Herald, Southington Herald on Wednesday, August 31, 2022 11:59 am. Updated: Wednesday, August 31, 2022 12:01 p.m.
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