North Carolina Apple Festival 2024

The North Carolina Apple Festival is an annual Labor Day Weekend tradition in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Henderson County is the leading apple-growing area in the state, so the festival celebrates its bountiful harvests since 1946. Festival-goers can indulge in some of their favorite​ foods like apple pies, pancakes, and more.

Festival Events

The NC Apple Festival is held in downtown Hendersonville, on Main Street. It features over 200 vendors including many local apple orchards, live music, arts & crafts, special exhibits. The family-friendly atmosphere of a hometown celebration attracts many visitors to this festival.

During the four-day event, visitors can enjoy street fairs, see car shows, an open house with antique airplanes at the WNC Air Museum, an apple recipe contest, and watch free entertainment at the Historic Courthouse. Legendary street sales will also be happening during the festival run. And all of this is of course, accompanied by live music from local artists, including such headliners as The Catalinas Band, Buddy K Band, and The Mighty Kicks.

Child-Friendly Entertainment

If you plan to bring your kids to this family event, rest assured they will have plenty to do. They can hop on the thrilling rides at the Wells Fargo Kiddie Carnival, get their face painted, play festival games or learn at the educational workshops, for example, at the Apple Growers/Beekeepers Educational Booth.

King Apple Parade (September 2, 2024)

The King Apple Parade is a much-anticipated attraction of the North Carolina Apple Festival and attracts more than 60,000 spectators. Annually held on the last day of the festival, which falls on Labor Day, the parade celebrates the legacy and fruits of labor brought by the apple industry. The huge parade takes place at 2:30 pm and features floats, marching bands, community and youth groups, antique cars, and fire trucks. You can see the procession along Main Street.

Schedule & Hours

The festival runs from 10 am until 10 pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with entertainment starting at 12 pm. On Monday, the program is limited because of the parade, with the street fair starting at 10 am and ending right after the parade.

Location

Nicknamed The City of Four Seasons for its rich year-round recreation opportunities, Hendersonville is located 25 miles (40 km) south of Asheville. Hendersonville is nestled near the Blue Ridge Mountains, making it a great spot for hiking and relaxing cabin getaways.