Although the Indigenous peoples of North America harvested native crab apples for thousands of years for food and medicine, the domesticated apples we are familiar with today were introduced to Canada by European settlers and quickly became a staple fall crop, helping pioneers survive the harsh Canadian winters.
You can learn more about the importance of apples to 19th-century settlers and celebrate the fall harvest season by bringing your family to Lang Pioneer Village Museum in Keene on Sunday (October 5) for Applefest. Running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the popular annual event includes activities for the entire family and, of course, lots of apples.
Tour the village by horse-drawn wagon, courtesy of Highview Farm, and find out how settlers prepared for the winter by viewing a variety of historic demonstrations throughout the village.
Demonstrations include cider pressing at the Cider Mill, threshing, mattress repair and stuffing, natural dyeing, chair caning, corn cordage making, broom making, grinding at the Grist Mill, wood turning by the Peterborough Artisan Centre Wood Turners and Kawartha Wood Turners Guild, rug hooking by the Northumberland Rug Hookers Guild, spinning by Shepherd Hill Farms, sheep shearing, and more.
Visit the Aabnaabin Camp to see how Indigenous apple-face dolls are made, view an antique clock display brought by the Quinte Timekeepers, and drop by the Ayotte Cabin where historic reenactors from the 41st Battalion of Brockville Rifles, 1st Company, will be performing drills and demonstrating military marching.
Live entertainment includes harvest hymns in the Glen Alda Church, harvest dance performances by the Peterborough Scottish Country Dancers, traditional music performed by Lotus White on the Weaver Shop porch, a crankie theatre — a 19th-century moving panorama — called “1862” performed by Glen Caradus, and sheep-herding demonstrations.
Immerse yourself in apples by playing a game of apple tic-tac-toe and making an apple craft to take home with you. You can enjoy apple cider and freshly baked apple treats at the Keene Hotel, and bushels of apples, candy apples, and fresh apple cider will be for sale to take home with you. If you love apple pie, take part in the pie-eating contest at 2 p.m. on the Village Green.
Other food options are available for purchase in the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building, including BBQ goods from the Keene Lions Club food truck (cash only) and a variety of food items from Call Creations Catering & Events.
Ben’s Kettle Corn will be selling traditional kettle corn and candy floss, and fresh Empire Cheese curd and bread will be for sale in the Cheese Factory.
Admission to Applefest is $17 for adults, $12 for students and seniors, and $9 for youth ages five to 14 (free for children under five). Family admission is also available for $45 and includes two adults and four youth. Tickets are available in advance online or when you arrive at Lang Pioneer Village.
On-site parking is available on a first-come first-served basis, with overflow parking available at McIntyre Park.
For more information and for advance tickets, visit www.langpioneervillage.ca.
