PORT TOWNSEND — Fall abundance will be celebrated this weekend during the second annual Olympic Peninsula Apple & Cider Festival.
It’s an opportunity for the public to appreciate the traditions and culture of growing apples and brewing cider, which organizers are calling “a truly authentic Pacific Northwest, tree-to-glass weekend experience.”
Attendees are welcome to join for one, two or all three days of feasting, tasting and celebration.
Ticket prices vary by event from $5 to $75 and are available at thunder bullproductions.com/appleandcider.html. Some events are free.
This evening, the festival will kick off with a Harvest Dinner and benefit for the Jefferson Clemente Foundation at the historic Palindrome Hall at Arcadia Estate, 1893 S. Jacob Miller Road in Port Townsend.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. with local apples, Mt. Townsend Creamery cheese, Hamma Hamma oysters and local cider, beer and wine on tap.
For the main course, wild caught, smoke-baked coho salmon will be served with roasted veggies and Finnriver apples, potatoes, squash, beets, kohlrabi and Nadine’s Kitchen’s Kale Caesar, according to a news release.
Local drinks from Finnriver Cidery, Eaglemount Wine and Cidery, Alpenfire Cidery and Propolis Brewery will be available for purchase at $5 per glass.
Local musicians Matt Sircely and Jonathan Doyle will perform classic, traditional and original songs with multi-instrumental amalgamations of mandolin, clarinet, guitar, saxophone, tenor guitar and bass saxophone.
Tickets include dinner, one beverage and entertainment. Additional beverages will be available for purchase.
The Jefferson Clemente Foundation runs a free, college-level humanities course for low-income adults, in addition to other humanities and higher education programming in Jefferson County.
The organization’s mission is to eliminate barriers to higher education and increase civic engagement.
Clemente has recently secured a partnership with Peninsula College to run its 2019 Jefferson Clemente Course in Building 202 at Fort Worden.
Proceeds and donations from the Harvest Dinner will go toward supporting Clemente’s 2019 programming.
On Saturday morning, the Port Townsend Farmers Market will feature apple-themed demonstrations with local chef Arran Stark.
Saturday afternoon, the party will head back to The Palindrome for a Cider Saloon featuring more than 40 regional ciders, apple pressing, apple tempura, a photo booth and live music.
Participating cideries will include Finnriver, Dragon’s Head, Alpenfire, Portland Cider Co., Eaglemount Wine and Cider, Nashi Orchards, Schilling Hard Cider, Ole Swede, Herb’s Cider and Admiralty Distillers.
Tickets will cover the festival shot glass and 10 cider tastings. Western attire is encouraged.
From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, the Fireside Restaurant in Port Ludlow will serve a multi-course family-style meal with sommelier-selected pairings from local craft cideries.
This menu will feature locally sourced cheeses with apple confiture, buttercup squash bisque with roasted apple curry, applewood smoked bacon braised brussels sprouts with Nash’s pork loin and a baked caramel apple to finish.
The weekend after-party will be at Propolis Brewing from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. with food trucks, a DJ and a fire show, featuring “DJ Captain Peacock” and “Hook” with divine Belly Dancing by Stormy and Fire Dancing Magic.
Food will be provided by Curly’s of Bellingham with fresh-cut curly fries, poutine, apple tempura and whipped cream delights.
“Barbarian Fine Cuisine” also will offer burgers with organic, locally sourced ingredients.
Guests are invited to “come as you are or let your fall imagination fly.”
On Sunday morning will be a Ploughman’s Cider Breakfast at Alpenfire Cidery featuring a spread of coffee, bread, Mt. Townsend cheese, cold cuts, fresh fruit, eggs and sausage.
Following breakfast, Alpenfire will host apple-themed seminars, orchard tours and an industrial cider pressing with Ryal of NW Mobile Juicing.
The annual Finnriver World Apple Day Fair takes place Sunday afternoon with cider tastings, orchard tours, live music, woodfired pizza, the second annual Fermentation Games, apple identification and apple-themed treats.
Cider donuts will be an extra special feature at Finnriver this year.
Portland, Ore., bakers Julie Richardson of Baker and Spice and Piper Davis of Grand Central Baker will travel north to Finnriver to celebrate apples and cook up some magical cider donuts made from local organic apples and regional flours.
All proceeds will benefit the Community Wellness Project.
Inspired in part by the Franklin Cider Days on the East Coast, this festival is a new Northwest tradition, grounded in the flavor of the season and the culture of the region: rugged, classy and delicious.
Here is the schedule.
Today
• Harvest Dinner and Festival Kickoff — 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., $30, a fundraiser for the Jefferson Clemente Foundation at The Palindrome, 1893 S. Jacob Miller Road in Port Townsend.
Saturday
• Port Townsend Farmers Market — 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., free event at 650 Tyler St., Port Townsend.
• Cider Saloon — 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., $30 at The Palindrome, 1893 S. Jacob Miller Road, Port Townsend.
• Apple Festival Dinner — 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., $75. Tickets available at: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3578109 for the dinner at Fireside Restaurant, 1 Heron Road, Port Ludlow.
• Propolis Fall Fire Party — 5 p.m. to midnight, free at Propolis Brewing, 2457 Jefferson St., Port Townsend.
Sunday
• Ploughman’s Cider Breakfast — 10 a.m. to noon, $15 at Alpenfire Cidery, 220 Pocket Lane, Port Townsend. Will be followed seminars and cider pressing at Alpenfire Cidery from noon to 3 p.m.
• Finnriver World Apple Day Fair — Noon to 9 p.m., a donation of $5 per car load is suggested at Finnriver Cidery, 124 Center Road, Chimacum.
• Cider Donut Pop-Up — 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Finnriver Cidery, 124 Center Road, Chimacum.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit thunderbull productions.com/appleand cider.html or contact info@thunderbullproductions.com.
