A Historical Society volunteer tends to a fire while cooking apple fritters on Sunday, Oct. 4 at the 36th Annual Apple Festival held Oct. 3 and 4 in Newark Valley, N.Y. The group also presented “breads of early life,” including Brezeln, Challah and Zupfe. (Photos by JoAnn R. Walter)
The 36th annual apple festival was held at the Bement-Billings Farmstead Museum located at 9241 State Rte. 38 in Newark Valley, N.Y. on Saturday, Oct. 3 and Sunday, Oct. 4.
Blue skies and bright sunshine was welcomed on Sunday, Oct. 4, after rain and colder temperatures lingered throughout the day on Saturday, Oct. 3. Despite the wet conditions, several hundred visitors still came out to the popular festival on the first day; however the parking lot and grounds were full for the second day of the event.
Hosted by the Newark Valley Historical Society and a major fundraiser for their
Placemats were being made in the weaving barn on Sunday, Oct. 4 at the 36th Annual Apple Festival held Oct. 3 and 4 at the Bement-Billings Farmstead Museum in Newark Valley, N.Y.
ongoing work, it was in 1977 that Mrs. Myrtie Louise Bills Hills put her family home in the care of the group. Dozens of volunteers restored the farmstead, and since then several structures have been added to Asa Bement’s historic farmhouse. The Herrick Barn, an English threshing barn from Weltonville, was brought to the site, a blacksmith shop was reconstructed, the Sycamore Bridge was built to provide access across the Owego Creek to the nature trails, and a welcome center was added.
From the moment guests walked onto the grounds of the Bement-Billings Farmstead
Leslie Kiersted, a Historical Society volunteer and a member of the Cooking Guild demonstrated open hearth cooking on Sunday, Oct. 4 at the 36th Annual Apple Festival held Oct. 3 and 4 in Newark Valley, N.Y.
and were greeted by “Apple Annie” who explained that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and then handed visitors a recipe for “Apple Friendship Cake,” the rest of the experience of the Apple Festival was fun-filled and educational.
Several activities, vendors and demonstrators were on hand, as was a wide selection of delicious foods made from apples, along with music and dance entertainment both days.
Nearly thirty demonstrators were at the festival, including the Black Power Guild
Rhonda Bickford, a Historical Society volunteer, greeted visitors in the parlor of the Bement-Billings Farmstead house on Sunday, Oct. 4 at the 36th Annual Apple Festival held Oct. 3 and 4 in Newark Valley, N.Y.
which held demonstrations with Revolutionary style rifles, the Cooking Guild, who showed off their open hearth cooking skills in the Bement House, and the Finger Lakes Lace Guild who shared their expertise in lace making. There was candle dipping, chair caning, woodcarving and woodworking, apple cider pressing, a blacksmith shop and a fur trapper, among others. Meeting visitors on the grounds were historical portrayals of Johnny Appleseed, Miss Mary Lockwood, Lucy and William Bement and Rev. James Beecher.
In addition, the Bement-Billings House gift shop and local history display made for a complete day for visitors to enjoy the annual apple festival.
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- The Bement-Billings Farmstead Museum was the setting for the 36th Annual Apple Festival held Oct. 3 and 4 in Newark Valley, N.Y.
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- Beautiful skies and bright sunshine proved to be the perfect background for dancing on Sunday, Oct. 4 at the 36th Annual Apple Festival held Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 3 and 4 in Newark Valley, N.Y.
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- Music filled the air on Sunday, Oct. 4 at the 36th Annual Apple Festival held at the Bement-Billings Farmstead Museum in Newark Valley, N.Y. on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 3 and 4. Pictured is the band, Uncle Joe and the Rosebud Ramblers, who played for the dancers.
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- Visitors at the 36th Annual Apple Festival in Newark Valley, N.Y. on Sunday, Oct. 4 sample apple cider made by Clark Smith and family.
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- Several youth activities were on hand, including pumpkin painting, at the 36th Annual Apple Festival in Newark Valley, N.Y. held on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 3 and 4.
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- Visitors at the 36th Annual Apple Festival in Newark Valley, N.Y. enjoy a horse-drawn wagon ride.
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- Dick Warner demonstrated log hewing at the 36th Annual Apple Festival held on Oct. 3 and 4 in Newark Valley, N.Y., which included labor-intensive work on how to make a beam out of a tree. Warner also helped with the restoration of the barn 15 years ago on the property of the Bement-Billings Farmstead Museum.
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- Black Powder Guild volunteer George Cummings was dressed in period attire at the 36th Annual Apple Festival held on Oct. 3 and 4 in Newark Valley, N.Y. Cummings explained that he was a member of the Mid-Atlantic troops of the late 1770’s, and could be easily identified by his red cuffs and silver buttons of-the-day.
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- Several vendors set up booths at the 36th Annual Apple Festival held on Oct. 3 and 4 in Newark Valley, N.Y. From left, Judy Nero and Charity Dunbar of the LeRaysville Cheese Factory in LeRaysville, Pa. sold and offered samples of their delicious cheese products.
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- Several demonstrators, including volunteers from the Blacksmith Guild, were on hand to show visitors their trade at the 36th Annual Apple Festival held on Oct. 3 and 4 in Newark Valley, N.Y.
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- Guests relax on hay bales and listen to music performed by Grassanova at the 36th Annual Apple Festival held on Oct. 3 and 4 in Newark Valley, N.Y. Music and dance entertainment was provided both days at the festival on two separate stages.
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- Grassanova, a bluegrass band originating from Tioga and Tompkins counties, performed on Sunday, Oct. 4 at the 36th Annual Apple Festival held Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 3 and 4 in Newark Valley, N.Y. Several music and dance entertainers performed during the two-day event.
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- Ninety-one-year old Clark Smith and his family made apple cider at the 36th Annual Apple Festival held Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 3 and 4 in Newark Valley, N.Y. Smith explained that he has been making apple cider since he was a young boy, and that the equipment he used at the festival had a 105 year old engine. Smith also helped build the bridge that crosses Owego Creek to the Sycamore Nature Trails, among other volunteer work for the Historical Society. Smith was also one of several area veterans who flew on the Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. in April 2014 that was funded by Jeff Gural, owner of Tioga Downs in Nichols, N.Y.
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- Visitors check out the cider press on Sunday, Oct. 4 at the 36th Annual Apple Festival held Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 3 and 4 in Newark Valley, N.Y.
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- Beautiful sunshine and clear skies welcomed visitors on Sunday, Oct. 4 at the 36th Annual Apple Festival held Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 3 and 4 in Newark Valley, N.Y. Despite the rainy conditions on Saturday, Oct. 3, several hundred visitors still attended the popular festival.
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- Candle dipping was one of several activities for both youth and adults at the 36th Annual Apple Festival held Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 3 and 4 in Newark Valley.
