The 23rd annual Haywood County Apple Harvest Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 15, in historic downtown Waynesville.

The annual festival, which celebrates the harvest season, features handmade arts and crafts, locally grown apples and apple products for sale. In addition, the festival will feature food vendors of all types, educational and information booths, authentic mountain music, dance groups, and a children’s fun area.

Scheduled performers for this year’s festival include the Hominy Valley Boys, Simple Folk, and the Josh Fields Band. Adult and youth clogging groups will also perform throughout the day providing non-stop entertainment from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. With more than 35,000 people attending last year’s festival, Haywood County looks forward to a great vendor turnout and a great day for our visitors, local merchants, and local residents.  

Returning for the 2011 festival is the Miss and Master Apple Harvest Festival Natural Beauty Pageant. The pageant will be held in the children’s fun area next to the United Community Bank parking area. Applications are available via Haywoodapplefest.com.

The Haywood County Apple Harvest Festival is presented by the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Waynesville Association, the Haywood County Extension Service and the Haywood County Apple Growers. Festival is sponsored by Progress Energy, Mission Health, Wells Fargo, Mountain First Bank, State Farm Insurance Lee Starnes, Oak Park Inn, BluePrints for Business, New Meridian Technology, Clear Channel Communications, WNC Magazine, The Smoky Mountain News, Fun Things Etc. and The Mountaineer.

828.456.3021 or www.haywoodapplefest.com.