HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — On Friday, Aug. 29, the 79th annual North Carolina Apple Festival kicks off in downtown Hendersonville, just under a month away from the one-year mark of when Tropical Storm Helene devastated Western North Carolina.
Henderson County apple growers were heavily impacted by the storm, as many lost a major part of their 2024 apple crop, according to Apple Festival organizers. They’re hoping the festival, which runs Aug. 29-Sept. 1, will be another chapter in Western North Carolina’s Helene recovery.
“Tourism is always important to Henderson County, but it is especially critical this year following Hurricane Helene. Our farms that rely on agritourism lost their 2024 fall season, and the festival is a wonderful chance to support our apple growers and our community as a whole,” Summer Stipe, the fundraising and administrative coordinator for the Apple Festival told News 13. “The Apple Festival brings in thousands of visitors from across North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee each year.”
This year’s festival kicks off with the annual Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast from 7-10 a.m. Aug. 29 at First United Methodist Church. Following the breakfast, the Street Fair starts at 10 a.m., with the Opening Ceremony at 10:30 a.m. at the Historic Henderson County Courthouse Plaza.
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Main Street will be closed to traffic between Caswell Street and Seventh Avenue for the festival, with street closures starting on Aug. 28 and lasting through Sept. 1 following the King Apple Parade. No parking will be allowed on Main Street after 2 p.m. between Caswell and Allen streets, and no parking after 3 p.m. from Allen Street to Seventh Avenue.
The grand marshals of this year’s parade are Pat and John Shepherd, who have been a big part of the Apple Festival for more than 50 years, organizers said.
“Pat and John have been the heartbeat of the North Carolina Apple Festival. They began in the 1970s, helping with the Apple Ambassador Pageant, and soon John was leading the King Apple Parade, a tradition he still carries on today,” the Apple Festival website said. “Together, they built the festival’s entertainment program from a single stage of local talent into a weekend of continuous performances featuring nationally known acts. Both have served as Presidents of the Festival Board, and every year, you’ll still find them behind the stage making sure everything runs smoothly.
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“But their service extends far beyond the Apple Festival. Pat has directed her dance school for 54 years, inspiring thousands of young people and opening doors to the arts in our public schools. She has choreographed for the State Theatre at Flat Rock Playhouse, created scholarships for students pursuing higher education in the arts, and was honored with the ATHENA Leadership Award for her role as a mentor and community leader. John has given equally selflessly. As District Governor of Lions Club International, he worked to strengthen Elida Home in Asheville and Camp Dogwood for the Blind at Lake Norman. Later, he brought that same spirit of service to the Henderson County Rescue Squad, where he trained as an EMT and Rescue Technician and helped grow the organization into one of the largest volunteer rescue agencies in North Carolina.”
Organizers have also published a new street map for the festival, which is available here:
Organizers said in a news release that for the safety and comfort of pets, non-service animals are discouraged at the Apple Festival. Also, no drones are permitted to fly in the festival area.
Parking is available in city surface lots and the parking deck on Fifth Avenue West. During the Apple Festival, the parking deck will be operating with a $10 daily flat-rate fee. During peak festival hours, volunteers will be present to assist users at the gates. To assist with weekend traffic, the parking deck gate at Church Street will be enter only, and the Fifth Avenue parking deck gate will be exit only.
The City Hall parking lot located at 160 6th Avenue East will be dedicated as handicapped parking on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Additional parking information on City of Hendersonville managed parking can be viewed at www.hvlnc.gov/parking.
The city said bicycle parking will be available at the end of Main Street, right off the Ecusta Trail. This parking will be managed by Blue Ridge Bicycle Club, Bike-Walk HVL & iDaph events for a small fee, the release said. The riding of skateboards, bicycles and other vehicles is not allowed in the festival areas.
The Apple Festival’s full schedule of events, along with the entertainment lineup, is available at the Apple Festival website.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source wlos.com ’
