2022 Apple Festival has “Biggest crowd ever”
The 2022 Taylorsville Apple Festival, held Saturday for the first time since 2019, had a massive crowd (above), with estimates in the several tens of thousands, according to festival director Gina Kay Honosky.
MMMM — Above: little Freyja Houck, age 5, enjoyed a candied apple at the 2022 Apple Festival.
APPLE TIME — Brushy Mountain area apple orchardists were on hand to sell their produce at the festival, including Wike Farm & Orchard, represented by father/son/grandson trio of David (left), Kyle (right), and Barnes Wike (center).
Apple Festival winners announced in contests, pageant
Taylorsville Apple Festival Director Gina Kay Honosky noted that the 2022 event was a rousing success, which the largest crowd ever.
Winners for all festival contests are as follows:
BEST BOOTH — The Best Apple Festival Decorated Booth, a $100 Prize, went to The Wright Designs (Heather Wright), Booth #312, above.
• Best Apple Festival Decorated Booth, $100 Prize – The Wright Designs (Heather Wright), #312.
CANDY APPLE ART — Kids Candy Apple Art Contest winner was Karlee Christiansen, with her Spider Apple.
• Kids Candy Apple Art Contest – Karlee Christiansen, with her Spider Apple.
• Apple Baking Contest: 1st Place – Erica Lowe with a Carmel Honey Apple Crisp Bar; 2nd Place – Patsy Robinson with a Fresh Apple Cake; 3rd Place – Barbara Pennell with an Apple Pie.
• Principal’s Coloring Contest was voted on by the patrons on Saturday; however, the announcement will be revealed at the November Principal’s Meeting.
• Apple Peeling Contest: Men’s category, Pastor Jeff Webb, peeling of 74 inches; Women’s, Emaline Ester, 32 inches; Youth, Emily Ward, 11 inches.
Apple Peeling Contest mens winner Pastor Jeff Webb.
Apple Peeling Contest womens winner Emaline Ester.
Apple Peeling Contest youth category winner Emily Ward.
• Carolyn Marley, Director of the Little Miss NC Taylorsville Apple Festival Pageant, congratulated the pageant winners. These young ladies are now qualified for the 37th Annual LMNC State Pageant, August 3 – 6, 2023: Madyson Cole, Grand Majestic; June James, Miniature Majestic; Angelique Carico, Overall Most Beautiful; Laney Steele, Apple Queen; Harper Lynn Icenhour, Baby Doll Miss; Elle Lackey, Toddler Miss; Aspen Thomas, Miniature Miss; Bobbi Rene Wright, Tiny Miss; Laney Steele, Junior Miss; Peyton Seitz, Young Miss; Mariah Miller, Teen Miss.
The staff of Peoples Drug in Taylorsville provided flu shots at the Apple Festival. Shown above, left to right: front row – Roxanna Harrington, LeAnn Sparks, Jasmine Kerley, Kaylie Chewning; back row – April Land, Philip Sprinkle (of Town & Country Drugs), Madison St.Clair, Phil Icard, Jason Mull.
Priscilla Jenkins of The Bridge Community, which provides free vision and health screenings/services, free meals, and more, distributed information on her organization’s outreach programs at the Apple Festival.
The Sheriff’s Explorers were on hand at the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office booth to give out information and assist at the Apple Festival. Pictured above, left to right: Explorer Lily Haney, SRO Shawtae Watts, Sgt. Tyler Rowe, Maj. Jason Moore, and Jacob Austin, and Dylan Foster.
Singer Debbie Mills provided praise songs at the Gospel Stage during the Apple Festival.
Red Suit Railroad provided rides for the little ones at the Apple Festival.
It was a wonderful event. Made things feel normal again. I know that the ones who benefit need it this year more than ever. They are blessed so many work to make this event happen.
Great festival! Suggestion, next year open the side streets for food vendors only. It was tight areas trying to maneuver between folks that were in line for food. That should give customers more of a chance to move around better to see the vendor sales. Enjoyed it even though due to the crowd we didn’t see it all.