PORT BLANDFORD, N.L. — The Town of Port Blandford is introducing a fall festival called AppleFest! with entertaining events taking place on Sept. 27-29.
With the festival will celebrate all things apple, it will include family activities at the municipal park, a dinner theatre, car show, pig roast, outdoor concert and plenty of apples.
Port Blandford Mayor Chad Holloway told The Packet the idea stems from trying to extend the town's tourism season into the fall, using a similar model to Elliston's Roots, Rants and Roars culinary festival.
Holloway said he, along with Coun. Calvin Efford, attended a session in Trinity on season extension. It is hoped the festival will become an annual event for the community.
He said there are more than 100 apple trees in the small town, so it made sense to grow an apple-centric festival around it.
"Port Blandford is gorgeous in the fall. I usually tell my friends, 'If you're going to come visit me, visit me in the fall!'" laughs Holloway.
He adds the festival is a tourism-based event to attract people to Port Blandford and show them what the community has to offer.
There are community-based events as well and organizers hope to see many locals at activities like the free car show on Sunday.
Ticket sales are brisk with the dinner theatre already sold out and more events sure to follow.
The activities are incorporating the arts, culinary and tourism — all in one big, red, shiny package.
A schedule of events is as follows:
Friday, Sept. 27
• 6:30 – 10 p.m. Opening ceremonies and kitchen party at the municipal park;
Saturday, Sept. 28
• 8 – 10:30 a.m. Apple breakfast at St. Aidan’s Anglican Church;
• 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. AppleFest! field events at the municipal park;
• 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Pig roast at the municipal park by Q’s BBQ Catering;
• 9:30 p.m. – 1:30 a.m. Concert at the municipal park with Colin Harris and Phantom 4 (Gates open at 8:30 p.m., 19-plus event)
Park activities include: Sack races, tug-of-war, apples on a string, washers, kerplunk, tire pull, rock painting, face painting and horse rides ($10 per person).
“Everything Apple” dessert bakeoff.
Sunday, Sept. 29
• 8 a.m. – noon Breakfast at Royal Canadian Legion;
• 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Art exhibit at the Legion;
• 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Car show and shine at the municipal park;
• 11:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Horseshoe tournament at the municipal park;
• 5 – 7:30 p.m. Dinner theatre at Terra Nova Golf Resort.
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