by Maggie Fitzgibbon
The Hilton Apple Fest is one of the area’s longest running and largest festivals. Year after year, this fall event marks the harvest season with a bountiful celebration. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, September 29 and Sunday, September 30 in the Village of Hilton on the grounds of the Hilton Community Center, 59 Henry Street. This event is free and runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday.
This year’s festival showcases almost 200 artists who will display and sell their work. Visit Hilton Apple Fest (HAF) and you’ll find a range of artists including 27 new vendors. The popularity of the HAF speaks for itself; it draws nearly 70,000 people over the two-day weekend. And this popularity is what draws the artists.
“We have one crafter coming from Toronto, Ontario, some artists from Florida, Wisconsin and the New England states. Artists hear about us from other artists and that’s how we are able to attract talent,” explained Terry Quetschenbach, HAF Board member.
The Apple Fest Auto Show is set for Saturday, September 29 at Village Elementary School located in the Village of Hilton. Registration takes place from 8 a.m. until noon and the awards ceremony will begin at 4 p.m. This year’s show will highlight modified compact cars and trucks. Four special awards will be presented: Club Participation, Hilton Mayor’s Choice, Parma Town Supervisor’s Choice, and Best Modified Compact Car/Truck of Show. For other information about this year’s Auto Show, visit the HAF website at hiltonapplefest.org and click on the Auto Show link.
As one can expect, apples will be aplenty at the Hilton Apple Fest and as tradition has it, a five-foot hot apple crisp will be baked and served fresh throughout the weekend. The line tends to be long for this popular delight, so don’t wait to queue up for this extra special treat.
Take a walk through the food vendors area at the Hilton Apple Fest and you’ll find most any menu item you could ever crave. Deep fried apple slices and apple soufflé are just a few of the tasty treats that will be available. Make a purchase from any of these non-profit food vendors and you’ll help fund these organizations’ local community efforts.
Each year, the HAF Board seeks to present entertainment that will please visitors of all ages. This search process begins usually in January.
“We get inundated with requests from music groups that want to play at the Apple Fest which makes the selection difficult. After a careful review process, the committee listens to the bands at local venues and makes the final selections,” said Rick Bjornholm, HAF Board Member and Entertainment Coordinator.
The entertainment planned for this year’s HAF is a mix of local and regional musicians. New this year is Teagan and the Tweeds, a Rochester-based six-piece band that describe their music as having a blues-country-folk sound. They perform on Saturday from noon until 4 p.m. on the M&T Stage. For a complete list of entertainment and a map of the grounds, check out the listing in this special HAF section prepared by Westside News Inc.
Children are invited to bring their parents and visit the Apple Fest Kids Korner, a place at the festival with activities and entertainment geared for children of all ages. And a tour of the Apple Fest would not be complete without a stop at Corey’s Apple Pond where children can fish for an apple and win a prize.
Parking for the HAF can be a challenge in and around the Hilton Community Center. In an effort to keep traffic moving, festival goers are encouraged to park at the HAF designated parking areas: the West Avenue School located on West Avenue, Hilton High School on East Avenue and the Village Elementary School on Old Hojack Lane. Shuttle buses will run throughout the weekend from Hilton High School.
Come early to the Apple Fest to check out all the homemade and fresh grown products from local farmers and purveyors. You’ll find these vendors in the farm market and food vendor areas. Local farmers and growers participating include Zarpentine’s Farm Market, Kelly’s Farm Market and Bakery, Watt Farms Country Market, Merle Maple Farm, and many others will have booths offering fall harvest treats.
Community Row is an area at the Hilton Apple Fest dedicated to local non-profits. Each of these organizations will provide information about their group in hopes of educating the community and sharing their goals. Their causes are varied – some hope to reach out to new members, like the Mom’s Club of Hilton, and some hope to recruit volunteers like the Hilton Ambulance. The Apple Fest Committee itself is in need of volunteers for simple tasks as helping to set up the festival area or dishing up apple crisp.
“We almost always are in need of a few extra volunteers. Those who are interested, or are looking for a way to connect with the community and pay it forward by volunteering can call the Apple Fest offices at 392-7773,” said Matt Ulakovic, Apple Fest board member. Visit any of these booths and find out how you can give your time and talents to any of these worthy organizations.
The Hilton Apple Fest is a great way to cap off the summer and kick off the fall season. Ulakovic encourages folks to come out to the Apple Fest and take in all that is planned during the festival weekend.
“The Hilton Apple Fest really is a great time for the whole community to come together and kick off the harvest with a celebration of our area’s delectably rich heritage,” Ulakovic said.
