57th Annual Apple Festival held this weekend in Bayfield, Wisconsin

An apple stand at the Bayfield Apple Festival. Photo courtesy of Nathan Casanova.

The 57th annual Bayfield Apple Festival was held this past weekend in Bayfield, Wisconsin. The festival was named as one of the 10 Best Fall Harvest festivals by USA Today.

Located 89 miles from UMD, it takes 1 hour 45 minutes to get to Bayfield from UMD.

One of multiple Hillcrest Orchard booths. Photo courtesy of Nathan Casanova

An estimated 60,000 visitors attended the festival this year. Vendors and attractions include a parade, art fair, over 60 food vendors, contests, raffles, a farmers’ market, live music, and a carnival.

One of the most well known vendors at the festival is the Hillcrest Orchard. A volunteer at one of multiple booths sponsored by the orchard said that Hillcrest has been a staple at the festival since the beginning. Located in Bayfield, the orchard is a popular attraction during the fall.

Insecta Etcetera. Photo courtesy of Nathan Casanova

The festival caters to a large audience and hosts vendors outside of the apple business, such as John Mann, the owner of Insecta Etcetera. His tent held a colorful display of framed insects and creatures ranging from exotic butterflies to lizards and scorpions.

“I’ve been a collector my whole life,” Mann said.

Bob Gross, the director of marketing for the Bayfield Visitor Bureau and information booth volunteer, said that his favorite part of the festival is the food.

“I just love the variety of food we have,” Gross said.

Apple walnut spice cakes made by the parents of the Northwestern High School Choir. Photo courtesy of Nathan Casanova

The Northwestern High School Choir had a booth selling apple walnut spice cakes as a fundraiser for their choir tour to Hawaii. This was the choir’s second year fundraising. The cakes were homemade by the choir parents.

“We had Hillcrest Orchards donate the apples for the cakes,” said a choir parent volunteer.

In an note published in the 2018 Apple Festival Guide, the mayor of Bayfield, Gordon T. Ringberg, said “I am so happy that the Apple Festival is an event that every member of the family can enjoy and I am so glad that you are here to celebrate it with us.”