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WELLSBURG -- With a variety of food, activities and entertainment for all ages, the Wellsburg Applefest is a local event that appeals to many.
Ninety food, craft and other vendors will be found along Charles Street from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Oct. 8 and 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 9, with an assortment of entertainers to appear on all three days on the adjacent Town Square.
The entertainment lineup includes a presentation by kindergarteners from Brooke Primary South at 11:30 a.m., singer-guitarist Mark Henderson at 2 p.m., the Faire May Band, a high energy folk music group, at 3 p.m. and D. David Styles Anytime Vocals at 5 p.m. on Oct. 7; the crowning of the Applefest Queen at 11 a.m., the Brooke Senior Dancers at 1 p.m., Elvis tribute artist Robert Dale at 2 p.m. and rock band Refugee at 5 p.m. on Oct. 8.
Oct. 9's schedule includes the Brooke High School Dance Team at 11 a.m., the Express Your Talent competition at noon, Brenda Casey Dancers at 1 p.m. and vocalist Chelsea Matta Householder from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Chain saw carver Jeff Roscoe will be creating intricate creatures from tree stumps beginning at 11 a.m. Oct. 8.
Ernie Jack, who co-chairs the event with Frank Johnson, said the festival will again include a variety of attractions and contests for all ages.
Jack said there will be amusement rides for small children, a large slide and a climbing wall and on Oct. 8 and 9, a small train offering free rides through the festival grounds, courtesy of Traubert's Pharmacy.
He added once again, youth are invited to set up booths on the Town Square the morning of Oct. 8 beginning at 8 a.m.
Jack said the idea is to expose them to the principles of salesmanship, and parents may help them set up but are asked to let them take over the booths at 9 a.m.
An application can be found at the Wellsburg Applefest's Facebook page, but youth also may sign up that morning.
Parents and other adults are invited to assist children in a pumpkin carving contest, using safety knives, to be held at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 8 on the Town Square and sponsored by Domino's Pizza.
The Applefest Committee again has teamed with the Brooke County Public Library to hold a pumpkin decorating contest for youth of all ages.
The committee has donated pumpkins and supplies, which may be picked up at the Wellsburg library or its Follansbee branch. Call (304) 737-1551 or (304) 527-0860 or visit https://brookecountylibs.org/programming-registration to order them.
The pumpkins will be judged at 1 p.m. Oct. 8 on the Town Square.
There also will be a pet show at 1 p.m. Oct. 8 near Sixth and Charles streets. Sponsored by the Wellsburg Chamber of Commerce, it will include more than 20 categories.
There will be apple pie eating contests for youth, ages 6-10, at 2 p.m. and ages 11-15, at 2:20 p.m.; and a hot dog eating contest, with a twist, for age 16 and up 2:45 p.m. on Oct. 9.
And living up to its name, the event includes apples served in a variety of ways, from bagged raw apples to apple juice, sold by the bottle or glass; apple butter and apple pies and other desserts.
The festival was inspired by the Grimes Golden variety of apple, a relative of the Golden Delicious that was discovered on the Wellsburg farm of Thomas Grimes off state Route 27.
Seeds for the fruit are said to have been supplied by Johnny "Appleseed" Chapman, the legendary figure who was a real person known for planting apple trees in five states and Ontario while sharing the Christian gospel.
The Brooke County Museum also will be open through the weekend, with displays to include the Johnny Appleseed costume worn by long-time Applefest co-chairman Michael O'Brien and a life-size nutcracker replica of Appleseed on loan from the Steubenville Nutcracker Village.