In the fall, New England is one of the best places to be in the country. The scenery is spectacular, the weather is cool and people in search of seasonal food festivals are in full force. There are pumpkins in New Hampshire, seafood in Rhode Island and, yes, all things marshmallow fluff in Massachusetts. If you're looking for apples, head to Connecticut. More than 60 varieties are grown in its many orchards and eventually make their way to one of the apple festivals in and near Connecticut.
The Constitution State's biggest and best-known apple festival includes six days of crafts, entertainment and apples galore. Enter your best dish in the apple pie baking contest or see how many apple pies or apple fritters you can devour in the eating contests. There's also a bed race and a Granny Apple contest to see who has the best grandma in town. Check out the parade, carnival games and local musicians on the center stage. Admission and parking are free.
Apple Harvest Festival
75 Main Street
Southington, CT 06489
860-276-8461
Salem is a term often associated with witches, but even though this apple festival is held at the end of October, there's nothing scary about it. Visitors from all over Connecticut head to this tiny town of about 4,000 residents in the southeast part of the state. In addition to an apple pancake breakfast to start the festivities, there are pies, fritters and other baked apple goods. Or try the hot dogs with apple sauerkraut, the fresh apple cider and the delicious apple sundaes. Admission is free.
Apple Festival
Town Green
Route 85
Salem, CT 06420
860-859-1211
Just a short trip across Long Island Sound, which separates Connecticut from the island, you'll find two other apple festivals. The first is this one, held at the Sherwood-Jayne Farm at the end of September. This one-day festival features music, pony rides, children's activities and plenty of apple goodies to sample. The festival's apple pie contest is open only to amateurs, and everything, including the crust, must be homemade. Nominal admission fees are charged.
Long Island Apple Festival
434 Park Avenue
Huntington, NY 11743
631-427-7045
About a 30-minute drive and a few weeks later is this other Long Island apple festival, which takes place on Queens County Farm, the only working historical farm in the city. This one-day event features a wide variety of apple products and cider, and the country's largest apple cobbler will be baked on-site in 2010. Learn apple facts and watch cider-pressing demonstrations. There are also hayrides and free children's games. Admission is free.
October Apple Festival
7350 Little Neck Parkway
Floral Park, NY 11004
718-347-3276
queensfarm.org
