Bayfield Chamber of Commerce: 52nd annual Bayfield Apple Festival set for October 4th-6th, 2013

Contact: Erin Johnson
Phone: (800) 447-4094
Email: erin@bayfield.org

Preview Apple Festival fun the weekend prior
with orchard activities, Senior Social, and Pie Contest

Northern Wisconsin’s fall harvest celebration, the Bayfield Apple Festival will be held October 4th-6th, 2013, drawing nearly 50,000 people to the tiny Lake Superior harbor town of Bayfield for an apple extravaganza like no other. Touted by Wisconsin Trails magazine as Wisconsin’s “best” fall festival, Bayfield welcomes visitors for a three-day weekend celebrating the bounty of the fall harvest amidst the scenic beauty of the Bayfield Peninsula, home of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

Along with 60 orchard and festival food booths offering an array of Northwoods delicacies, Bayfield hosts handmade art and craft vendors, and specialty product vendors throughout historic downtown and picturesque Memorial Park. Music lovers will enjoy listening to Big Top Chautauqua’s Blue Canvas Orchestra perform at the Grandstand stage and be entertained by the Pipes & Drums of Thunder Bay, a 20-member traditional Scottish pipe band, at events throughout the weekend.

This year’s festival will feature the inaugural Peel Out 5k Run on Saturday, October 5th at Mt. Ashwabay Recreation Area. Participants will carry an apple from the race start to the finish line, winding through woods and cross country ski trails, climbing 300 feet and finishing at the top of Mt. Ashwabay, whose position provides magnificent views of Lake Superior, the Apostle Islands and fall foliage. Organizers will turn the surviving apples into caramel apple sundaes at the finish line. Runners, walkers and families are all welcome to “start Applefest with a great run and a delicious apple treat!”

Additional festival events include the Apple Dumpling Gang Contest, an Apple Peeling Contest, performances by Native Expressions Drum and Dance Troupe, a Venetian Boat parade through Bayfield’s City Harbor and the weekend’s grand finale on Sunday afternoon – a hometown parade featuring the 400-member Mass Band playing “On Wisconsin” in unison.

Bayfield Apple Festival Grand Parade Visitors can take advantage of a fabulous picture opportunity again this year with the hand-painted Apple Festival photo mural designed by local artist, Robert Holton. The photo board features customizable space for visitors to commemorate their experience in Bayfield amidst an iconic Apple Festival scene. This free family activity will be located on Manypenny Avenue next to the Bayfield Chamber Visitor Center.

Festival goers will also enjoy activities at several of Bayfield’s fourteen orchards, a children’s carnival, ongoing cruises of the Apostle Islands, guided “Twilight in the Cemetery” walks, live entertainment at local pubs and Legendary Waters Resort and Casino, and a traditional fish boil dinner on Saturday afternoon, followed by an evening dance. Parking is available on the festival grounds and at several businesses.

For those who love apples, but not the crowds, the annual Senior Social and Apple Pie and Dessert Contest will be held the week prior to the festival, on Friday, September 27th. Several orchards, such as Hauser’s and Erickson’s will host pre-festival activities, too. On Saturday and Sunday, September 28th and 29th, Hauser’s Superior View Farm will offer hay rides, a children’s maze, apple tasting, and wine sampling at the Bayfield Winery, while Erickson’s Orchard and Country Store will feature a Scarecrow Orchard maze, kids activities, horse and hayrides, and food vendors at their farm.

A complete schedule of Apple Festival activities is available on bayfield.org.

Bayfield has been celebrating the Apple Festival annually for over 50 years. The event is held the first full weekend (including a Friday) in October. For historic Apple Festival information, please visit the Bayfield Apple Festival Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Bayfield.Apple.Festival.