Apple Butter Festival in Berkeley Springs 2024, West Virginia

Sweet aromas of the apple butter cooking permeates the air throughout the streets of Barkley Springs, West Virginia, because the Apple Butter Festival has come into town. The festivities gather folks to celebrate the apple harvest over the Columbus Day weekend in early October. The top draw must be the festival's large food court, numbering dozens of vendors, as well as Beer Garden. But beyond succulent treats pleasing every taste bud, the program features a host of merriments to make memories.

Beer Garden Party (October 11, 2024)

To start the weekend of festivities, the Apple Butter Festival hosts a joyful Beer Garden Party, welcoming all residents and visitors. The party begins in the evening and features a multitude of vendors, fun activities like axe throwing, and music. The main highlight is of course, the beer and wine selection, which includes picks from local breweries.

Apple Butter Parade (October 12, 2024)

The Apple Butter Parade kicks off the festivities on Saturday morning at 9 am. Hundreds of participants from the Berkley Springs community come together in a grandiose procession, which features vibrant floats, decorated vehicles, and delightful music. The spectators line the streets, greeting the paradegoers. The parade route begins at Berkley Springs High School, continues on through the town square and the train station, and finally stops on Williams Street.

Other Events & Entertainment

Live entertainment is available throughout the celebration. Contests are an integral part of the festival. The highlights include the hog-calling contest, a beard and mustache contest, a baking contest, an egg toss, and a duck race. You can also haggle for some neat trinkets at the arts and crafts booths. And the luckiest festival-goers win the coveted Apple Butter Quilt. A tradition of the festival, apple butter making, is also worth witnessing. You can even participate yourself and help stir this delicious product.

Schedule & Tickets

The event spans from 10 am until 6 pm on Saturday and from 10 am until 4 pm on Sunday. Beer Garden Party on October 11th is set to unfold from 5 pm until 9 pm. Admission to the festival is completely free; you only need to pay for food, beverages, and other vendor goods.

Location

The festival takes place in the city center, near Fairfax Street and Morgan Country Courthouse. The host town is renowned as one of America's oldest spa towns and listed among the country's 100 best art towns. No wonder it's second name is the Town of Bath. Take your time to explore its spas, shops, and restaurants. Alternatively, you might want to stay in or just drop by some nearby cities, like Washington, DC, Baltimore, situated within roughly a hundred miles (161 km), or Pittsburgh, which is 150 miles (241 km) away.