Bayfield Apple Festival will boast vibrant autumn colors and a remarkable apple crop for this year's 50th annual celebration, Apple Festival set for next weekend

Bayfield Apple Festival will boast vibrant autumn colors and a remarkable apple crop
for this year's 50th annual celebration

The Bayfield Apple Festival appears to be graced with serendipity as vibrant autumn colors and a remarkable apple crop are predicted to align for this year's 50th annual celebration. "It's going to be a very good harvest," states Jim Hauser, Jr. of Hauser's Superior View Farm. "The ripening of many apple varieties will coincide well with this year's festival," which is just over a week away, October 7th - 9th, 2011.

The Bayfield area is home to over 14 orchards and fruit farms, 12 of which produce apples, and it's this versatile fruit that inspired Bayfield's annual celebration of the fall harvest, now on its fiftieth year. The historic streets of Bayfield will be lined with local orchard stands, fine art exhibitors, musicians, crafters, and festival food booths throughout the three-day weekend. Touted by Wisconsin Trails Magazine as Wisconsin's "Best" festival, Bayfield welcomes over 50,000 visitors to the event, who come to enjoy the bounty of the fall harvest and scenic beauty of the Bayfield Peninsula, the gateway to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

The Bayfield area has much to offer in addition to the scheduled apple activities, and this year's fall color will be nearing peak just in time for festival-goers. Currently observed to be around 35% turned - red, orange and yellow leaves should approach 80% color or more on the Chequamegon Bay during the Apple Festival weekend. This timing will offer an especially memorable experience for visitors wishing to tour the orchards, hike and bike, take a narrated cruise on Lake Superior, or ride the ferry to Madeline Island.

Even when the Apple Festival is over, the Bayfield apple crop itself will still be going strong. Tom Galazen of North Wind Organic Farm will be having an orchard stand at the festival this year, but says he'll also have "plenty of apples after Applefest," including the popular Liberty and Jonafree varieties. Those wanting to have a hands-on orchard experience can head five minutes outside the city and pick apples, watch demonstrations such as cider pressing, and sample apples and apple condiments at many of the local orchards. The Bayfield area lodgings and businesses are also sweetening the travel deals with the second year of Bayfield's Fall Harvest Celebration promotion, including discounted lodging packages with complimentary gift certificates, autumn "Hot Deals," scrumptious harvest-inspired menus at local eateries, and the chance to win a free getaway in Bayfield next fall.

The Bayfield Apple Festival is a Northern Wisconsin fall phenomenon that takes place annually on the first full weekend in October (including a Friday). Special events this year include Big Top Chautauqua's Blue Canvas Orchestra performing an original song written for the 50th annual Apple Festival on the Grandstand stage all three days, an Apple Pie and Dessert Contest and Community Pie Social on Thursday evening, an Apple Peeling Contest on Saturday afternoon, a glittering Venetian Boat Parade through the harbor on Saturday evening (including a pre-event concert by the Pipes and Drums of Thunder Bay) and the weekend's grand finale - a hometown parade featuring nearly 90 entries. In honor of the 50th year, the parade will have several exceptional touches including a 600 member Mass Band with a special musical arrangement and the return of nearly 50 years worth of Apple Festival royalty starting at 2:00pm on Sunday afternoon.

Parking is available on the festival grounds as well as at Hauser's Superior View Farm, Erickson's Orchard and Legendary Waters Resort and Casino, who offer free shuttle transportation to and from the festival on Saturday and Sunday.