Despite the gloomy weather, 5,400 people left their homes to come together for the sixth annual South Windsor Apple Fest this past Saturday.
Apple Fest is an annual festival to celebrate the fall harvest while the weather is still warm enough for people to spend time outdoors. This year, the event took place on October 14, being held on the John J. Mitchell fairgrounds from 9am to 5pm.
Originally scheduled for September 23, the event had to be postponed due to rain. Luckily, the weather held up throughout the festival on its rescheduled date.
The event included 111 total vendors, 12 food trucks, and 38 live performances throughout the day, according to Andrew Paterna, the event coordinator.
Apple Fest is sponsored by the Democratic Town Committee. They ran the apple pie tent, selling out at around 3:30. They left limited amounts of vanilla ice cream and apple cider left to feed the public. Mayor Liz Pendleton and her husband, Robin “Packi” Pendleton, ran the dunk tank.
The atmosphere of Apple Fest juxtaposed its gloomy weather with colorful tents, constant rhythm of live music, and hyperactive children running from one activity to the next.
“It’s great, it’s fun, it’s festive,” remarked first-time patrons of Apple Fest, Abigail and Matthew Donahue. “There’s a lot of people, and everyone’s having fun.”
Kids could enjoy free pony rides from 11am to 2pm, a bounce house, and face painting. All while adults had attractions that provided them a few minutes of respite from parenting.
Live performances such as rock bands, martial arts demonstrations, orchestra music, and acapella singing were held throughout the day between two different stages, which sat at opposite ends of the festival.
Vendors lined up in rows selling a variety of products such as tie-dye t-shirts, scented clay, crocheted chickens, and gutter cleaning/tree services. Other booths were informational such as the South Windsor High School Robotics club, Riverside Reptiles, and the South Windsor Planning and Zoning Commission.
Carnetta Parnell, an Apple Fest vendor, described her customer traffic as “slow, but steady”. Her business, Clayzone, makes aromatherapy scented clay to subtly aid in stress relief.
Overall, the 2023 edition of Apple Fest was a massive success, with the turnout exceeding the Democratic Town Committee’s goal despite cloudy skies and rescheduling.
