The weather should be as crisp as the apples on October 15, 2016. The third Saturday in October, the Annual Taylorsville Apple Festival is expected to draw well over 30,000 visitors to shop at the vendor booths, enjoy food (including apples), watch performances on the stages, and let the kids play in the Kids Korner area.
The Taylorsville Apple Festival is held on the third Saturday of October and rewards thousands of visitors with entertainment, delicious food choices, and family-friendly fun. This year is the 28th year for the festival, which began back in 1988. The festival has steadily grown to the estimated 35,000 attendees event it is now.
The festival is expected to include 350 to 400 vendors for 2016. Food, ride, and general vendor applications are available, and the spots are being claimed quickly. Register by September 21, 2016, and the booth space is $85. If spaces are available, spaces are $100 after that date.
The event begins at 9am; vendors must be set up and ready by 8am. The festival ends at 5pm, and all tear-down or vehicle movement must wait until after that time.
A town business license is also required for the day, with rates ranging from $10 to $25 depending on the type of booth. Space limitations and vendor rules are outlined on the applications
Past crowds have included congressional representatives, sports mascots, local celebrities, and tens of thousands of visitors from across the state and beyond its borders. It’s a great opportunity for local crafters, homemade goods producers, and organizations to reach many potential customers.
Vendor booths are located throughout the town. With such a big crowd coming, the booths stretch out for blocks! Around the edges will be live entertainment spanning three stages:
- The Main Stage on the courthouse lawn.
- A Gospel Stage at the west end of the festival.
- The Children/Youth Stage on the east end of the festival.
The Kid’s Korner is the biggest draw for younger attendees. The Kid’s Korner includes camel rides, pony rides, petting zoo, inflatables, carnival rides, hay rides, Kids Stage, Little Blue Choo Train rides, and more.
Food vendors are distributed around the courthouse.
In addition to craft and handmade goods vendors, a special Professional Area borders the festival on the west end.
On the Alexander County festival event page, www.alexandercountyonline.com/applefestival/indexAppleFestival.htm, you’ll find the applications for vendors and related rules.
A portion of the festival proceeds go to the Needy Children’s Benevolence Fund, 11 Alexander County Schools.
Festival management is spearheaded by Gina Kay Honosky, Executive Director of the Taylorsville Apple Festival, Inc. This is her 14th year organizing this major event. Direct festival questions to 828.632.2999.
Once vendors are finalized, more festival details will be available for attendees via the Alexander County Online link above. The festival Facebook page may provide updates along the way.
Taylorsville is the county seat of Alexander County, North Carolina. The town is in the Piedmont area of the state, as the “gateway to the Brushy Mountains.”
