NORTH READING — It’s finally here! The 31st Annual North Reading Apple Festival is happening this weekend!
On Saturday, September 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., come on down to the 1720 Rev. Daniel Putnam House property at 27 Bow St. in the heart of the town’s Center Village Historic District to enjoy one of the town’s favorite events.
Admission is free to this family-friendly day of fun, food, live music, arts and crafts, and camaraderie. If it rains, the festival will be postponed to Sunday. Bow Street will be closed (between the Damon Tavern and Haverhill Street) during the event. Plenty of parking is available at the Batchelder School, the Union Congregational Church, and on surrounding streets.
GUEST SINGER ABBEY ROMEO
This year, the Festival will be opened by celebrity guest Abbey Romeo, star of the Emmy-winning Netflix series “Love On The Spectrum.” An accomplished vocalist, Abbey recently performed her original song “Boyfriend Forever” on The Kelly Clarkson Show. Abbey spent many summers in North Reading with her grandparents, Pat and Frank Romeo, who were longtime residents of town and very active in town affairs, including the preservation of the town’s historic structures and antiquities.
“Since 1995, the North Reading Historical & Antiquarian Society has organized the Apple Festival to celebrate our town’s bygone orchards and raise funds to preserve and protect local history,” said Society President Matt Page.
The Festival will feature nearly 50 local artists, crafters, and vendors, freshly baked apple pie topped with Richardson’s ice cream, the Apple Pie Baking Contest for both youths and adults, Minit and Militia BBQ, live entertainment, gift card and 50/50 raffles, lots of food and drink, pony rides, kids activities, a silent art auction, and local artwork raffle.
The Putnam House, Barn, Farm Museum, restored Van Laethem windmill, West Village School House, First Meeting House, Tin and Cobbler’s Shop and Sergeant Flint House will also be open to the public.
DEDICATION OF RESTORED 1840 WINDMILL
The North Reading Co. of Minit and Militia will hold a dedication ceremony of the restored Van Laethem windmill during Saturday’s Apple Festival at the Putnam House. The dedication of the 1840 windmill will include a talk by Bob Snyder about its history and the restoration effort that took place during the last three years.
All are invited to the dedication from 2:10 to 2:30 p.m. The windmill is located beside the Farm Museum on the Putnam House grounds. Bob Snyder will also introduce George Cairns and Gordon Hall, both of whom worked closely with him during this three-year restoration effort.
Descendants of the Van Laethem family have been invited to attend the dedication as well. The windmill was originally located on the Van Laethem Family Farm on Winter Street.
The Minitmen look forward having this piece of the town’s farming history included with the many other structures and antiquities that they’ve restored and preserved on the grounds of the Putnam House during the past 60-plus years!
WOODEN MALLETS FROM HISTORIC BEAM
Festival-goers this year will have a unique opportunity to own a piece of town history while also benefitting the Historical Society! Local resident Lee Atlas has hand-crafted several wooden mallets from a reclaimed oak beam that came from the Joseph Frye Farm House (1765), a Georgian Vernacular home at 471 Park St. Each mallet is unique and varies in size.
Several years ago, when the current homeowners were doing a renovation project, Atlas was given permission to retrieve some scrap wood, which he initially planned to use for firewood. But after removing a few dozen hand forged nails and some rotted wood from the beam he could not bring himself to burn it. Instead, he created wooden mallets topped with one original nail in the head. He recalled that the wood was so dense his original tablesaw overheated while attempting to cut through it and he had to buy a new saw. He has documented the origins of the wood to accompany the mallets and the proceeds from any mallets sold at the Apple Festival will be donated to the Historical Society.
CLASSIC APPLE PIE CONTEST
The annual Classic Apple Pie Contest returns! All adult and youth bakers who live in town are invited to compete for prizes and bragging rights as the baker of the best tasting apple pie in town! No pre-registration necessary. Attach a piece of paper to the bottom of the entry pie that has the entrant’s name, address and phone number. If entering the youth division (ages 12-17) please include your age.
Deliver contest pies at room temperature to the Putnam House from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on the day of the Apple Festival. (Read complete contest rules at nreadinghistory.org or posted on our website at https://dev.localheadlinenews.com/town-of-north-reading-apple-festival-classic-apple-pie-contest-rules/ ). At 11 a.m., a three-person panel will blind judge all pie entries on appearance, texture, and taste. Winners and runners-up (adult and youth) will be announced and presented ribbons and prizes.
APPLE FESTIVAL PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
• 10:00 AM – 10:10 AM: Opening performance and national anthem by Abbey Romeo of “Love On The Spectrum.”
• 10:20 AM – 10:40 AM: North Reading High School Band
• 10:55 AM- 11:20 AM: NOTEorious and 12eights (NRHS a cappella groups)
• 11:25 AM – 11:45 AM: Ipswich River Community Chorus
• 11:50 AM – 12:10 PM: Senior Echoes
• 12:15 PM – 12:35 PM: Cervizzi’s Martial Arts
• 12:40 PM – 1:00 PM: Liam Slavin
• 1:10 PM – 1:35 PM: Cardio Drummers
• 1:45 PM – 2:05 PM: Multi-Church Children’s Choir
• 2:10 PM – 2:30 PM: North Reading Minitmen Dedication of restored 1840 Van Laethem Farm Windmill (beside Farm Museum)
• 2:50 PM – 3:00 PM: Announcement of winners of Apple Pie Contest, Silent Auction and all raffles.
APPLE FESTIVAL VENDORS/EXHIBITORS
Nearly 50 vendors and exhibitors will be participants at the Apple Festival and the Apple Festival is sponsored by CDG Realty, The Savings Bank, Royal Air Systems, Fitzgerald & Associates Realtors and Bark N’ Roll Dog Care.
The vendors and exhibitors are: Moss Creek Weaving, Create a Dream Crafts, African Authentics, April Rose Jewelry, Fibers and Crafts, North Reading Human Rights Group, M.A.G. Woodworking, Rose Hill Glass, Friends of the North Reading Council on Aging, Cervizzi’s Martial Arts Academy, Windbirds4you, Union Congregational Church, Becca Roo’s Prismatic Fantasies, Daisy Bella Handmade Crafts, Creatively Crafted by Theresa & Twisted Stitches, Milestones Bake Shoppe, Liam3dPrints, North Reading Democratic Town Committee, Noslrac Creations, Beauté Noir, Kathryn Catania – Artist, Wreaths Across America, Louise Anderson – Artist, Ipswich River Community Chorus, Brooke’s Breads, Fitzgerald & Associates Real Estate, Lisa Ferrari – Artist.
As well as Ashley Pelletier – Printmaker and Bookbinder, North Reading Music Boosters, Falun Dafa Association of New England, Deck The Fridge, Rooted Body Co., Paul Adams – Financial Advisor, Found & Flattened, Ipswich River Watershed Association, Jeanne’s Artistry, Bark N’ Roll Dog Care, Blue Chick Designs, Trinity Evangelical Church, North Reading Community Impact Team, Front Door Festive, Curious Bee Daycare & Preschool, Reading Municipal Light Department, North Reading Sustainability Committee, Harold Parker Toastmasters and Royal Air Systems.