Mapleside Farms is commemorating agriculturalist Johnny Appleseed in it’s annual Johnny Appleseed Festival. The Ohio Farm began celebrating the Johnny Appleseed Festival in 1974 on what would have been Appleseed’s 200th birthday. Mapleside Farms uses a branch from an original Johnny Appleseed tree to graft onto a rootstock, which still produces fruit.
The 34th annual Johnny Appleseed Festival at Mapleside Farms in Brunswick will be held Saturday & Sunday, September 15 & 16. The event commemorates the birthday of Johnny Appleseed and is the official kick-off to the fall apple harvest season. The festival will take place on top of the hill overlooking 4,000 apple trees in the valley.
This year, festival presenting sponsor, the Kia Summer of Surprises Tour/Drivin’ Movie, brings $20 gas cards to those taking a brief test drive, a chance to win a new Kia Optima, and at dusk on Saturday, a free family showing of 2006’s Charlotte’s Web on the Midwest’s LARGEST outdoor movie screen.
More for the kids includes taking on the high seas adventures at the Pirates of the Apple Orchard Corn Maze where they follow the twists and turns of the paths in the corn stalks to search for hidden treasures. There are also horse drawn wagon rides through the apple orchards, pony rides, kid’s crafts, face painting and fun in the Harvest Hideout Playland.
Eighty crafters will be exhibiting their hand-made crafts in a variety of mediums. Entertainment will include country music from “Little Rock” and Kenny Clark and the Birmingham Band, and Conestoga, along with the fifties sound of Rock-N-Remember. There will also be local dance troupes, performing as well as country dancers and cloggers.
Admission is $3 for adults, $1 for children ages 7 thru 12 and free for children 6 years old and younger. Some activities require an additional charge. Parking is free.