APPLEFEST IS HERE — Many food and other vendors have lined Charles Street for the Wellsburg Applefest, which continues through the weekend with a variety of entertainment and activities.
— Warren Scott
WELLSBURG — As much as the crisp, cool air felt by many who ventured out on Friday morning, the Wellsburg Applefest has ushered in the fall season.
In its 43rd year, the festival continues through Sunday with an assortment of food and other vendors along Charles Street and live entertainment on the Town Square.
Festival-goers will find amusement rides for children, an inflatable slide and other attractions for children and courtesy of Traubert’s Pharmacy, free rides aboard a motorized mini train for everyone.
The event’s slate of activities includes a pumpkin carving contest for youth on Saturday afternoon and a hot dog eating contest, with a twist, on Sunday afternoon.
Many turned out Friday morning to see children from Brooke Primary South perform songs about Johnny “Appleseed” Chapman, who played an indirect part in the festival’s establishment.
While many know Johnny Appleseed as a figure of folklore, he was a real person known for planting apple trees in five states and Ontario, Canada while sharing his Christian beliefs.
Chapman is said to have provided the seeds for the Grimes Golden variety of apple first discovered in 1832 on the farm of Thomas Grimes near the present site of state Route 27. Said to be a parent of the better known Golden Delicious variety of apple, the Grimes Golden was the inspiration for the annual festival.
And apples can be found there in many forms, from bagged whole apples to home-made pies, jarred apple butter to glasses or gallons of apple cider.
A booth manned by members of Cornerstone Christian Academy’s Parent Association is among places at the festival where apple pies can be found, with parents of children at the private school baking as many as 80 to raise money for its tuition fund.
Kelly Williams, who was among parents at the booth, said the Beech Bottom school is attended by about 34 youth in pre-school through sixth grade hailing from Washington, Pa. as well as Brooke County.
She said to learn about community service, many of the pupils recently volunteered at the Washington City Mission.
“The students did all of the work. They served the public and cleaned up afterward. That’s what we are called to do — serve others,” said Williams.
She was joined at the booth by Emily Leonard, who said it’s the second year the parents group has raised funds at the Applefest.
“We did really well last year. We sold out very quickly, so we’re excited to come back,” said Leonard.
Through the years, the festival has presented an opportunity for many school and community groups to raise money for their causes and special projects.
Members of both the Franklin Community and McKinleyville volunteer fire departments were on hand again this year.
Darin Pizer, president of the Franklin Community Fire Department, was among many selling 16 varieties of fudge and chances on drawings for several gift cards worth hundreds of dollars, which will be held Nov. 18.
Pizer said the department has participated in the Applefest for at least 30 years, and it’s helped the department to raise money for various needs.
McKinleyville Fire Chief John Haas and others with the fire department were selling hot chocolate, coffee and other drinks as well as tumblers and koozies to help keep them warm or cold.
In addition to raising funds for their department, members were accepting donations for a fellow firefighter battling cancer.
The Applefest also has helped to bring attention to shops in the city’s downtown business district, with local antique stores among those welcoming visitors in to browse.
Heather Tokas, owner of metaStone, set up a booth and invited everyone into the shop, which offers products and instruction geared at helping people to relieve stress and boost their mental wellness.
Tokas said this weekend the store is selling a variety of artistic pieces that had been created by the late mother of her associate, DeeAnn Greene.
Volunteers with the Brooke County Historical Museum and Culture Center also invited festival goers inside to see its recreations of living quarters and work sites from the city and county’s past.
For this weekend, the museum also is displaying a Johnny Appleseed nutcracker on loan from the Steubenville Nutcracker Village and the Johnny Appleseed costume worn by the late former Applefest co-chairman Michael O’Brien.
Ernie Jack, who heads up the group with Frank Johnson and has been involved with the festival for many years, said they are among about a dozen volunteers who each focus on some aspect of it and their cooperation ensures that it runs smoothly from year to year.
The results are appreciated by people of all ages.
Among them is 7-year-old Beatrice Harbin of Wellsburg who said she enjoyed walking along Charles Street with her parents and considers popcorn her favorite among the food sold there.
Wellsburg senior citizen Frances Dennison, who spends much of her time visiting residents at local nursing homes, said of the festival, “I like coming down and seeing the people. Most of them are really friendly.”
She added she was looking forward to cheering for the drummer in local rock band Refugee when it appeared on the Town Square.