GREENE — The 39th annual Greene Applefest will return to the Greene Ball Flats on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., bringing thousands of visitors to town for the fall tradition. Sponsored by the First United Methodist Church of Greene (FUMC), the festival offers a family-friendly celebration for the community.

Applefest will feature an array of apple- and fall-themed treats for sale by volunteers at FUMC, including homemade pies, Welsh cookies, apple cider, donuts, candied apples and apples by the bag.

Homemade Welsh cookies are a long-standing tradition for the event, co-chair Janette Hicks said. “That's kind of our church's thing.”

“They're fired like a dough. They have black currants in them. And we sell those by the baker dozen,” said co-chair Vera Hackett.

Church volunteers bake hundreds of pies and cookies for the occasion, with the proceeds going to support local causes. The cider and apples are sourced through Gregg's Market in Whitney Point.

There will also be food vendors on-site, including The Scoop of Whitney Point, Rock and Roll Kettle Corn, Smithville Grange, Tropical Snow, Kandi's Kitchen, Cup of Mud, the Oxford Grange and the traditional Lions Club chicken barbecue.

Organizers expect around 100 craft vendors this year, with applications still open on the church's website. “We try to make it all handcrafted stuff,” Hackett said.

There are a number of vendors who return year after year to sell their goods at Applefest. Visitors can expect to find handcrafted wood carvings, sewing and crocheting projects, jewelry, yard ornaments, paintings, honey and maple syrup items, books and more.

“Pretty much anything and everything you could think of at a craft fair is there,” Hackett said.

Free kids zone, entertainment and activities

Families can enjoy a free kids zone with bouncy houses, face painting, puppet shows, giant bubbles, games and pumpkin painting. Horse and pony rides will be provided by Helping Hands of Coventry.

“And then what we have is quite a few nonprofits or people that don't necessarily sell things but give out information,” Hicks added.

The Chenango County Sheriff's Office will offer a child fingerprinting station, the Lourdes mammography truck will be available for walk-in screenings, and Walgreens plans to host a flu shot booth. Several organizations will be there to provide resources and information, including Aunt Mary's House, a cancer treatment information booth and local groups like the Boy Scouts, ACHIEVE, ADRE and the school parent club.

Live entertainment will run throughout the day, organized by the church's music director, Winnie Sortman. Expect to hear jazz and Americana, along with returning performers. A roaming juggler is also scheduled to appear.

Hackett said the American Legion will also announce the winners of its annual duck race during the festival.

A community effort

Applefest is organized by a committee of about a dozen church members, with many more volunteers helping bake pies, staff booths and run activities. Proceeds from pie and cookie sales are donated each year to local causes, including scholarships for graduating seniors, summer camp assistance for children, EMS, the fire department and other community organizations.

Committee co-chairs Hackett and Hicks both expressed that while they have only been part of organizing Applefest for a few years, they understand that its origins were inspired by a desire to provide a fun day for families to enjoy without hardship. They said the best part of the day is watching thousands attend and have fun at a friendly community event.

Find event details and the vendor application at fumcgreene.com/applefest.