ThisWeek CW 10/11/2012
The 39th annual Groveport Apple Butter Day promises to be the largest yet, according to planning committee member Patty Storts.
From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, this year’s festival includes free entertainment and activities for all ages, including 70 craft and food vendors — almost 25-percent more than in previous years, Storts said.
“We don’t keep an exact count of visitors for Apple Butter Day, but we would expect the crowd to reach 5,000 people,” she said. “I’m really proud of the fact we’ve expanded this year. We’ve worked hard at making this event just a little bit bigger.”
According to Storts, two large kettles of apple butter will be produced during the day as a part of the demonstrations meant to celebrate Groveport’s pioneer heritage.
“Some of the demonstrations include the kettles of homemade apple butter bubbling over wood fires, traditional broom-making, quilting, candle-dipping and blacksmithing,” she said. “All of the crafts are homemade items, nothing commercially produced, and we’ll have local Civil War re-enactors as well.”
Most of the Apple Butter Festival takes place at Heritage Park, 551 Wirt Road. Some activities are scheduled for Kids Space, 630 Wirt Road.
Besides the demonstrations and crafts, entertainment will include live bluegrass and country music throughout the day. The headline group, Highway 40, will perform at 4 p.m.
A free petting zoo and pony rides will be available for children. The third annual Groveport Cane Fishing Derby will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. and is open to the first 50 children up to the age of 15; poles and bait will be provided.
This event is hosted jointly by the Heritage Society and the city of Groveport. The city’s street tree and decorating committee will once again distribute 750 free pine seedlings on a first-come, first-served basis. A free raffle will be held for one of 10 apple trees.
“I just can’t say enough about this event,” Storts said. “It’s so great for people of all ages. We even have a program for our octogenarians where we give anyone over the age of 80 a free jar of our freshly made apple butter.
“The Apple Butter Day Committee deserves a lot of thanks for their hard work putting this all together; this will be a great event.”
The schedule includes:
* 10 a.m. to noon: Sod Busters on the Main Stage
* 10 to 11 a.m.: third annual Groveport Cane Fishing Derby
* 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Second Wind at the Log House; Roger Tedrow and Mark Springer at KidSpace
* Noon to 1 p.m.: Sheri Dean on the Main Stage
* Noon to 2 p.m.: Delightful Sounds at the Log House
* 1 to 2 p.m.: Spelling Bee and Octogenarian Recognition
* 2 to 3 p.m.: Second Wind at KidSpace; Roger Tedrow and Mark Springer at the Log House
* 2 to 4 p.m.: Open Highway on the Main Stage
* 2 to 4 p.m.: Ellen Ford, Storyteller
* 4 to 6 p.m.: Highway 40 on the Main Stage
* 5:30 p.m.: winner of the quilt raffle to be announced
For more information, visit groveport.org.