NEW MILFORD – Visitors can enjoy everything apple — apple crisp, apple pie and apple doughnuts — at the town’s second annual Apple Bake-Off this fall.
The event will be part of the second annual Apple Festival, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 24 on the Town Green.
Admission is free for this family-friendly event.
With 50 vendors, this year’s festival will feature a mix of crafters, businesses and nonprofits alongside a variety of games and activities for children, including mechanical dog and cat races, bobbing for apples, Wheel of Fortune, Tic Tac Toe, and a giant inflatable obstacle course.
Reigning over this year’s festival will be this year’s Apple Festival King and Queen — Louis LaPorte and Ellen Tamburri — who were selected from the town’s senior center.
The Woman’s Club of Greater New Milford will be helping to organize the Apple Bake-Off.
Pat Hembrook, a club member, said bake-off participants should bring their apple desserts along with a copy of the recipes. The desserts will be judged by a panel of judges, including New Milford Mayor Pete Bass. Prizes will be awarded for Best Apple Pie and Best Apple Dessert.
“It’s to be a family event,” Hembrook said of the Apple Festival.
The town’s Grad Party Committee will also offer grab-and-go food including hot dogs and nachos.
Reflecting on the success of last year’s festival, Hembrook, executive secretary for Bass, said, “It’s always great when you have great weather. I think people were ready to come out and go to festivals, and it’s on our beautiful Town Green, which is very conducive to (having) people come out and enjoy the festival.”
“We don’t really have (many) apple festivals around here,” Hembrook said. Previously, the closest Apple Festival before New Milford started its own festival was in Monroe, she said.
At last year’s festival, some participants wanted more apples, she said. As the town prepares for this year’s festival, she said she hopes more people will bring apple-related dishes and activities the festival.
The festival ends at 5 p.m., but vendors can stay longer on the Town Green if they want, Hembrook said.
The local band Future Tense will be performing after the festival at 6:30 p.m.
