Apples are not native to North America. This tasty treat originated in Kazakhstan, and we can thank the Romans, who along with the Greeks and Etruscans, cultivated apples and eventually brought them to the British Isles. If you’re wondering, yes, there really was a Johnny Appleseed. Born in Leominster, Massachusetts in 1774, John Chapman is widely credited with bringing apples to a wide area including Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, West Virginia, and Ontario, Canada. 

As it turns out, there may be more truth to the old adage, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” than we realized. Apples are rich in pectin and also contain mild acids which help your body fight toxins, aid in digestion, and “pep up” your entire system. They also are high in potassium and low in sodium making them the perfect healthy snack for people with cardiac or renal problems. Other studies show a correlation between people who regularly consume apples experiencing a lower incidence of colds and upper respiratory ailments.    

According to the North Carolina Apple Growers Association, about 40% of the state’s apple crop is marketed as fresh apples with the remaining 60% being used in the processing industry to make applesauce and juice. Twenty or more varieties of apples are grown in North Carolina with a harvest season spanning from August through late October. 

Photo at right is courtesy of the Henderson County TDA.

Festival History

The N.C. Apple Festival can trace its roots back to a fall festival in 1938. It was established to celebrate the county’s 100th birthday and to salute the area’s apple-growing industry. The festivals in 1939 and 1940 were held toward the end of the apple-growing season, and after 1941, the festival was abandoned altogether during the wartime period. Festivities started again in 1947 under the name of the Apple Blossom Festival. 

After surveying local businesses and farmers, the event was moved toward the beginning of harvest time for mountain apples and assumed the name of the N. C. Apple Festival. 
 
For many of the participating orchards and growers, the event can represent up to 15% of the year’s business, so the days leading up to the festival are filled with picking and packing as many apples as possible. 

The festival brings more than 100,000 visitors to Henderson County over the course of its four days, which are August 30-September 2 this year (2024). In addition to the rides, craft booths, and apple stands, festival-goers can also learn about beekeeping and apple growing. The Apple Festival is an excellent example of how the community and farmers work together in North Carolina.

What to Expect

The N.C. Apple Festival is a true celebration of all things apple – apple pie, apple cider, apple slushies, apple doughnuts, apple, apple, apple! The theme for 2024 is “The Fruits of our Labor Day.” Businesses in Downtown Hendersonville decorate to fit the theme and move apple “anything” merchandise to the front of their stores. 

Hendersonville’s Main Street becomes a street fair featuring crafts, fresh apples, and more. Kids’ areas with bouncy houses and rides are located at the Visitor’s Center and at Wells Fargo Bank. The food court is also in front of Wells Fargo Bank. 

While the main part of the festival is located in Downtown Hendersonville, there are many parts of the festival including 5k runs, car shows, parades, concerts, and breakfasts. And if you’re a good hand in the kitchen, you might want to participate in the apple cook-off. This event brings together groups and volunteers from all across the county to benefit the whole community. 

Parking: There are multiple free and fee-based parking areas around the festival area. Many of the parking lots charging a fee are operated by local non-profits with this being one of their most important fundraisers of the year. 

Handicapped Parking: Accessible parking for festival goers is at City Hall, 160 Avenue W., Hendersonville, NC 28792, and it is available on Saturday and Sunday only.

Festival Hours: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. On Monday, there is a mini street fair from 10 a.m. until the end of the parade. 

Entertainment: Live music, dancers, and more are featured throughout the festival from noon until 10 p.m., Friday – Sunday. The King Apple Parade steps off at 2:30 p.m. on Labor Day Monday. You can get a line-up of entertainers and happenings on the NC Apple Festival website.

Tips: Please leave your pets comfortably at home. Carry cash because some vendors don't have credit card capability. The Lost Child Station is in front of the Historic Courthouse. Be sure to try the apple donuts and apple cider!

Photo above is courtesy of the Henderson County TDA.

Apples, Apples, Apples

This is a great time to pick up apples for snacks or to freeze/can for later.

Snacking Apples: Red Delicious, Jonagold, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Evercrisp, Pink Lady

Baking/Cooking Apples: Golden Delicious, Rome Beauty, Stayman, Winesap, Granny Smith, Braeburn

Apples that Store Well: Empire, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Arkansas Black, Goldrush

Storing Apples: Refrigerate as cold as possible without freezing for best results. If you are in a colder climate, some apples will store well in the garage. 

 

Originally published on August 18, 2023. Updated August 22, 2024.

Header image courtesy of the NC Apple Festival.