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Applefest making its return to Wellsburg

ORIGIN OF THE FESTIVAL — A few years ago, children from a local school presented a play about Johnny “Appleseed” Chapman during the Wellsburg Applefest. Chapman is said to have provided seeds for the Grimes Golden apple first planted in Wellsburg, the inspiration for the annual festival, which will return Friday through Sunday. -- Warren Scott

WELLSBURG — For more than 40 years, the Wellsburg Applefest has brought a variety of food, entertainment and activities for all ages to the city’s downtown business district.

The annual festival will return, following a year-long hiatus imposed by the pandemic, Friday through Sunday.

Numerous food and craft vendors are expected to line Charles Street while a variety of performers will appear on the Town Square.

The square also will be the site Saturday of booths operated by vendors, age 15 and under, who are invited to sell baked goods, Girl Scout cookies and other food; flea market and other items.

The youth are asked to set up between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. that day.

There is no fee for the youth-operated booths, which were added in recent years to encourage children and teens to develop entrepreneurial skills. Those interested in participating should call (304) 737-1599.

Led by Ernie Jack and Frank Johnson, the volunteer committee behind the festival in recent years added a scholarship program, with $500 awarded to each of seven local students this year; and an Easter Egg hunt at a local park.

The festival itself has been a favorite among families, with many things to interest all ages.

In addition to free face painting, courtesy of Main Street Bank; there will be inflatable attractions and pony rides for children.

Chain saw carver Jeff Roscoe will be creating intricate depictions of creatures of wildlife from stumps of wood, through much of the weekend.

Area pet owners of all ages are invited to bring their animals to the pet show to be staged on the grassy lot near Sixth and Charles streets at 11 a.m. Saturday.

The Applefest Committee again has teamed with the Brooke County Public Library to hold a pumpkin-decorating contest for youth, with pumpkins and supplies available for pickup from either library location, and participants invited to bring their completed pumpkins for judging at the Town Square at 2 p.m. Saturday.

To arrange for pickups, call (304) 737-1551 or (304) 527-0860 or visit https://bcplvirtual.weebly.com/programs.

A pumpkin carving contest for youth, using safety knives, also will take place at that time.

Performing on opening day will be singer-keyboardist Marvin Whiteman at 2 p.m.; vocal duo Roz and Lynn at 4 p.m. and Reflections, a local band performing a mix of music from the 1950s to the present, at 6 p.m.

The schedule for Saturday will include the energetic Apostolics of the Ohio Valley Church Choir at 10:30 a.m.; crowning at noon of winners of the Applefest Pageant, which was held earlier; the Brooke-Hancock Senior Dancers at 1 p.m.; Elvis tribute artist Robert Dale at 2 p.m.; singer-guitarist Mark Henderson at 3 p.m.; the Studio Band B dance team at 4 p.m.; vocalist Toni Gray at 5 p.m.; vocalist Johnna Leary at 6 p.m.; and the Russ Buchanan Band, with its mix of country and rock and roll, at 7 p.m.

Performers on Sunday include: singer-guitarist KaeLeigh Feltner at noon: Troubador R.J. Gaudio at 1 p.m.; the Brenda Casey Dancers at 3 p.m.; and the classic and original country and spiritual music of Chelsea Matta Householder and Margi Keller at 4 p.m.

Festival-goers also will find a variety of food, including apples sold in many forms, including apple cider by the glass or gallon.

The festival was inspired by the Grimes Golden variety of apple, a relative of the Golden Delicious, which was discovered on the farm of Thomas Grimes off state Route 27. Seeds for the fruit are said to have been supplied by Johnny “Appleseed” Chapman, a legendary figure who was a real person known for planting apple trees in five states and Ontario while sharing the Christian Gospel.

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