There are numerous festivals held in Ithaca throughout the year, each celebrating our community’s food, music, crafts and seasons. Although the Ithaca Festival held after Memorial Day weekend is the most famous, several others such as the Ice Festival, the Brunch festival, and the Rutabaga Olympics are equally fun for all ages. By far our personal favorite is the Apple Harvest Festival, or AppleFest, held in the season when the various hills surrounding the valley that Ithaca inhabits begin to glow with gold and red leaves. There’s no better way to celebrate the wonderful season of fall than with a hot cup of apple cider while walking down the Ithaca Commons at AppleFest.
AppleFest is an annual event located in downtown Ithaca during the last weekend in September, where Ithacans gather to celebrate the coming of fall with food, music, and games. AppleFest is the perfect way of accepting that Ithaca’s picture-perfect summer is over, and a reminder that we can commiserate by binging on fried foods and maple cotton candy. Small businesses and restaurants all over Ithaca set up stalls on the streets, setting up a variety of cuisine for all to enjoy. Although this is similar to the setup of Ithaca Festival in June, AppleFest lives up to its name with many foods incorporating apples, pumpkins, and other produce harvested at that time of the year. In fact, it’s actually a festival rule that as a vendor you must have an apple-related good on your menu. There’s apple cider, pie, butter, cake, and many other delectable items, you name it—even apple pizza. The festival is unique in this sense; no other local festival revolves around a certain theme and truly celebrates the season in the fashion that AppleFest does. Not only is it a great opportunity to eat delicious food, but all purchases help to support local businesses around the Finger Lakes, including eateries, farms, and artisans.
The start of fall marks the point when the days get shorter and the weather starts to get cooler and more comfortable. AppleFest is an occasion for which one can be outside for hours wandering through all the vendor stalls without a jacket and not be too hot or too cold, unlike during Ithaca Festival, when the summer heat and crowds do not mix well. So next year when you hear AppleFest is around the corner, don’t forget to bring your friends and eat, laugh, and have a good time.