Marker-Miller Orchards in Winchester (Photo courtesy Winchester-Frederick County Tourism)
Oct. 14
Apple Day in Appalachia
Salute the fruits of fall at Apple Day, a celebration of traditional Appalachian artisan and craft demonstrations at Douthat State Park in Millboro. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/douthat.shtml
Oct. 14
Apples in the Valley
Numerous varieties of apples plus food and fun will be available at Richard’s Fruit Market in Middletown, in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. richardsfruitmarket.com
Oct. 14-15, 21-22
Mountain Festival
Pick your own apples and watch apple butter cook over an open fire during the Graves Mountain Apple Harvest Festival in Syria. 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each festival day. gravesmountain.com
Oct. 21
Apple Butter Simmering
Silver Creek and Seamans’ Orchards in the Shenandoah Valley community of Tyro has held its Apple Butter Makin’ Festivals for more than 30 years. 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. silvercreekseamansorchards.com
Oct. 21
Harvest Celebration
Old Hill hard Cider in the Shenandoah Valley’s Timberville will hold its 18th annual Apple Harvest Celebration with cider tastings, food trucks and more. oldhillcider.com
Oct. 21-22
Fall’s Bounty in Lovingston
Drumheller’s Orchard Apple Festival in Lovingston will celebrate the bounty of the season with apple butter, cider, honey, country hams and pumpkins. Activities include hayrides and a corn maze. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on festival days. drumhellersorchard.com
Oct. 28
Apples in a Beer Garden
The Mount Jackson Apple Harvest Festival will feature apple goods, two stages for live music, local food trucks and a beer garden. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. virginia.org/listings/Events/MtJacksonAppleHarvestFestival
Nov. 4
Apples in Albemarle
Freshly pressed cider, mulled cider and hard cider will be among the apple products featured at the 17th annual Apple Harvest Festival in the Albemarle County community of North Garden. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. albemarleciderworks.com
Nov. 10-19
Celebrating Cider
Tastings, and a cider-related event will be held each day throughout the Central Virginia region in celebration of the fermented beverage. ciderweekva.com
Illustration by Sarah Barton; apple image by Thinkstock
Grab a Crate
Nearby apple orchards where you can have your pick
- Carter Mountain Orchard: Near Charlottesville. Pick your own apples and apple cider doughnuts, too. chilesfamilyorchards.com
- Dickie Brothers Orchard: Nelson County orchard in the same family since 1752. dickiebrothers.com
- Drumheller’s Orchard: Sixth-generation family farm in Nelson County. drumhellersorchard.com
- Henley’s Orchard: Twenty minutes west of Charlottesville between Crozet and White Hall. henleysorchard.com
- Morris Orchard: At the foot of High Peak Mountain in Monroe, north of Lynchburg. morrisorchard.com
- Graves Mountain Farm: An educational farm as well as an orchard. In Syria. gravesmountain.com
- Hartland Orchard: Near the Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Mountains in Markham. hartlandorchard.com
- Hollin Farms: Orchard and family farm at Delaplane in Fauquier County. hollinfarms.com
- Mackintosh Fruit Farm: In Clarke County, the northern portion of the Shenandoah Valley. mackintoshfruitfarm.com
- Stribling Orchard: Blue Ridge orchard operated by the sixth generation of Striblings. striblingorchard.com