Apple Blossom Festival is May 6
The Taylorsville Apple Blossom Festival will return on Saturday, May 6, 2023, in the downtown area.
A number of musicians, food and craft vendors, children’s activities, and local organizations will take part in the festival, said Gina Kay Honosky, Executive Director, Taylorsville Apple Festival, Inc. This marks the fifth year the spring festival has taken place, an offshoot of the perennial autumn Apple Festival. The first Apple Blossom Festival was held in May 2016, but it was not held 2020-2022 due to COVID concerns. Proceeds from both the spring and fall festival go to the Needy Children’s Benevolence Fund at Alexander County Schools.
Music groups slated to perform May 6 include: Shellem Cline, Nunya Bizness, South Bound 77, Dennis Benton, Stony River Voices, The Gospelaires, Trish England, The Barnes Family, Empress & Pixie Dust, East Alexander Middle School Chorus, Alexander Central High School and East and West middle school bands, and more.
There will be a sit down, dine-in breakfast for all patrons and vendors who would like to go to the 957 Mobile Cafe from 6:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. in the basement of the United Methodist Church Mission Campus (54 E. Main Avenue) to help raise needed funds for the 957 Mobile Cafe. All meals will be made to order.
A blood drive will take place at 151 W. Main Avenue at the Alexander County Services Center from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with The Blood Connection in support of the Blood Emergency Readiness Corps. A $20 charitable donation will be made per donor and all blood donors receive $35 in rewards to redeem for eGift cards.
There will be two contests at the festival. The first is the “Mini Melt Challenge, hosted by Frosty Fun Mini Melts Ice Cream and the Taylorsville Apple Blossom Festival. There will be three categories: children up to 8 years old, 9-18 years old, and adults. Prizes will be awarded. Also, the first student to come to the festival Information Booth and pick your school and Prinicipal’s name off the Apple Tree will win lunch out with your Principal.
The Taylorsville Apple Blossom Pageant will crown eight age division queens and two Majestic Queens in Little Miss and Teen Miss North Carolina local competition. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the pageant at 10 a.m. on the Youth Stage.
Handicap parking for the festival will be at Impressions Screenprinting and Graphics, located one block south of the Courthouse on S. Center Street at 1st Avenue SW.
Festival goers may park at the Walmart or Food Lion shopping centers and Greenway Transportation will be running a shuttle all day for the event, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Motorists can park and ride for free.
A brand new Zip Line and Laser Tag from Cyber Buzz Entertainment will debut at the Apple Blossom Festival.
On a serious note, owner of the Tiki Grill food attraction will be on site to make sure there is no price gouging from his workers like what happened at the 32nd Annual Taylorsville Apple Festival. There were numerous complaints to the Director of the Apple Festival, Gina Kay Honosky, after the event was over last year and she immediately reached out to the owners in Raleigh. They were appalled and very apologetic and wanted her to express to the community that they were very sorry and would be taking measures to make sure that it would never happen again. The owner stated that he wanted to apologize to the community as this is not how they conduct business and steps were taken and employees were dealt with.
“We are a rain or shine event! We are holding on to the hope that the Lord blesses us with good weather again as for the last 32 years of the Apple Festivals and the last four years of the Apple Blossom Festivals, we have never been rained out. He has always blessed us so!” said Honosky.
