Apple Festival fun facts and the updated entertainment schedule

Dean Hensley, Hendersonville Times-News
Updated ·3 min read

HENDERSONVILLE - Think you know all there is to know about the 77th annual North Carolina Apple Festival being held Sept. 1-4 in downtown Hendersonville?

Below are some "apple bites" you might not have known, along with the updated entertainment schedule:

In this Times-News photo from the 1979 Apple Festival, volunteer firefighters compete in the Apple Festival Firemen Competition.
In this Times-News photo from the 1979 Apple Festival, volunteer firefighters compete in the Apple Festival Firemen Competition.

Apple bites

  • The first Apple Festival was actually called the Apple Blossom Festival and wasn't held Labor Day weekend. That year, it was held in the springtime in April.

  • For many years, the N.C. Apple Festival had two Apple Festival Queens. In 1951, Kathryn Hyatt, a 1950 graduate of Waynesville High School, was named the festival's adult division queen at the age of 18, and June Kesterson of Dana was named queen in the high school division. The coronation ceremonies were held during halftime of the Apple Festival football game between Hendersonville and Marion.

  • The Apple Festival had had several competitions throughout the years. In the past, there was the Apple Festival Firemen Competition, where firefighters did several different events, including shooting targets using a water hose.

  • In 1967, the 21st N.C. Apple Festival was held from Sept. 1-4, just like this year's, and at that time, officials said it was the largest crowd to ever be at the King Apple Parade. The Times-News reported that it took an hour to get through the traffic after the parade was over. This was also the year Flat Rock's Carl Sandburg died (on July 22). A national service was held for the poet at the Lincoln Memorial on Sept. 17 in Washington, D.C.

  • Up until the mid 1980s, the Apple Festival was a week to 10 days of activities. In 1988, the Apple Festival Committee shortened the event to four days to allow the festival to be considered as a well-packaged extended vacation for visitors, according to past Times-News reporting.

  • For the past several years, according to NCAppleFestival.org, the festival is averaging 250,000 attendees and also averaging $12 million pumped into the Hendersonville area economy.

  • Why do we celebrate all things apple on Labor Day weekend? According to hendersonvillenc.gov, North Carolina is the seventh-largest apple-producing state in the nation and Henderson County grows 65% of all apples in North Carolina. Growing apples has been part of Henderson County’s culture and heritage since the mid 1700s. Today there are approximately 200 apple growers in the county.

  • The 60th Apple Festival had a then-record of 225,000 attendees for the four-day event, culminating with the King Apple Parade on Sept. 4, 2006. It was the same day TV star Steve Irwin, known as the "Crocodile Hunter," died after having his heart pierced by a stingray.

The Blue Ridge Apple Growers Association float at the 1967 King Apple Parade features the Apple Festival Queen, Patricia Mozingo.
The Blue Ridge Apple Growers Association float at the 1967 King Apple Parade features the Apple Festival Queen, Patricia Mozingo.

More: A complete guide to the 77th North Carolina Apple Festival happening Sept. 1-4

More: Logo, theme revealed for 2023 NC Apple Festival

Attendees at the 2017 North Carolina Apple Festival get ready to purchase apples at one of the booths on Main Street.
Attendees at the 2017 North Carolina Apple Festival get ready to purchase apples at one of the booths on Main Street.

Updated entertainment schedule

Sept. 1

Apple Festival Baking Contest11 a.m.-noon: Drop off entriesNoon-1:30 p.m.: Judging1:30 p.m.: Announcement of winnersRest of the schedule10 a.m.- 1 p.m.: Tom Brown - Variety Music & One Man Band1:30- 2:15 p.m.: Hospitality Tent for Sponsors1:45-2:15 p.m.: Showtunes with Matthew2:15-3 p.m.: Opening Ceremonies at Historic Courthouse Plaza3:15- 4:45 p.m.: Jonah Riddle-Carolina Express5:-5:30 p.m.: Hendersonville High School Orchestra5:30- 5:45 p.m.: Soul To Soul (Senior Citizens Line Dance Winners)5:45- 6:15 p.m.: Jack Roper- Audience participation magic (front of stage)6:30- 8:30 p.m.: Buddy K Big Band

Sept. 2

9:45-10:30 a.m.: Releve Dance11 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.: Super 60s1-2:30 p.m.: Carolina the Band3-5 p.m.: Ryan Perry5:30- 8:30 p.m: Swingin’ Medallions

Sept. 3

12:45- 1:45 p.m.: Pat’s School of Dance2-3 p.m.: Jeter Mountain Band3:30-5 p.m.: Free Flow5:30- 8:30 p.m.: The Mighty Kicks

Sept. 4

10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Tom Brown - Variety Music & One Man Band2:30 p.m.: Start of King Apple Parade

Dean Hensley is the news editor for the Hendersonville Times-News. Email him with tips, questions and comments at DHensley@gannett.com. Please help support this kind of local journalism with a subscription to the Hendersonville Times-News.

This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Apple Festival fun facts and the updated entertainment schedule