Ithaca Applefest: A slice of life and a cup of cider

The Ithaca commons shook with the sounds of music and sales Saturday morning as thousands of people gathered to taste the fall flavors of the Finger Lakes During the 41st Ithaca Apple Harvest Festival.

The warm air and sunshine made hundreds huddle under shade as they enjoyed musical acts, like a group of belly-dancers or a local band.

While barbecue stands and eateries drew much of the crowd around noon Saturday, Tony Chen enjoyed a cup of cold cider - which he rated five out of five stars - only a few minutes after arriving to Ithaca from New York City.

“It’s a hot day in Ithaca, but this cooled me down and reminded me that fall is here,” he said.

The festival marks an unofficial start of New York Cider Week, which begins Oct. 6 and continues until the Sunday, Oct. 15.

Finger Lakes Cider House offered tastings Saturday of their usual cider varieties, alongside a rich apple brandy and sugary-sweet ice cider.

“We typically make this ice cider each winter leaving some apples on the trees to sweeten up for a late harvest.” founder of the cider house, Garrett Miller said as he poured some samplings of the drink Saturday.

Many wineries and apple orchards in the Finger Lakes faced major crop losses this May when a late spring frost devastated as much as 20% of New York’s apple crop, according to Cornell professor of horticulture Gregory Peck.

Peck said last month that climate change has made New York’s winters warmer overall, causing apple trees to bloom earlier making it more likely that their fruit would be harmed by a spring frost.

“There’s nothing good to come out of a May frost, though,” Miller said. “A little less work harvesting I guess, because there wasn’t as much to harvest, but we’re lucky enough to still be here for our eighth or ninth year.”

Despite a lackluster harvest, there was still plenty of cider to drink and apple-flavored baked goods to eat the festival this past weekend. Orchards still sold apples, alongside sweets and vegetables, and Amish bakers from Interlaken sold handmade pies, cookies and other confections.

“It’s a great chance to get everyone outside and together before it gets too cold,” one man said, as he exchanged the bill in a woman’s hand for a tin of apple crisp. “Isn’t much that can’t be fixed using some apple crisp.”

This article originally appeared on Ithaca Journal: Apples, apple products highlight Ithaca Applefest