Southern Ontario residents made a stop in Brant County over the weekend for the 42nd St. George Applefest. Starting off as just a one evening festival, the event has continued to reach new heights in the many years that have followed. “We started as a one evening festival in one block of downtown St. George... we’ve evolved in the last 42 years. We now encompass three blocks of downtown St. George, said festival co-ordinator Jean Tucker. 165 vendors filled the streets, with attendees able to find and enjoy anything from clothing to jewelry, and of course, apples. Many of the vendors are not new faces around St. George on the third weekend of September, with a few being apart of the event since its inception. At the top of that list is Howell Road Cidery and Orchards, whose history in the region dates much further back than the community festival. “This year, we are celebrating our 205th harvest at our orchard, which is huge. We now have nine generations on our farm. So it’s a big celebration this year,” said Melissa Howell, owner of Howell Road Cidery and Orchard. Howell has taken the reins at the farm with her parents taking a step back as they get older, but even with fresh ideas and a new perspective, she spoke to the tradition and memories the event gave her and the family. “We have been here for 42 years, since the start of the Applefest. I was not born yet, but my parents were both down here, and they always talk about how it was a little bit later in September and it was actually really cold. So we’re very grateful that they switched it to the third week of September, because we always had such a great turnout here,” she said. In terms of the apples, Howell explained that despite unique summer conditions, the fruits of the labour will be plentiful and tasty. “We were very lucky at Howell Road Cidery and Orchard. Our yield has been amazing in almost all of our 42 varieties at the farm. The summer was very hot, but we did get lots of rain,” she said. “Apples don’t like wet feet, but our orchard where we’re situated up on the hill in St. George, we had a great yield this year... we’re very happy.” On top of all the vendors, the event was home to musical performances, a children’s area, and prizes to those who won Applefest related contests. Tucker said that the name of the game when it comes to events like Applefest is making sure everyone can enjoy a slice. “When you’re running a festival, you want to make sure that everybody has a great time, that there’s always something here for everyone, and as we say (at the) St. George Apple Fest, there’s something appealing for everyone,” she said. Although slight changes happen and the event continues to grow, the same magic lingers throughout the street of St. George every year. “I think it’s pretty amazing that a small village like, say, George can host thousands of people every year at Apple for it,” said Rosemarie Woodley Robinson, an attendee and volunteer with the St. George Garden Club. “It’s a little different each year, often depending on the weather. But if the weather works for us, it’s fabulous.”
