The ninth annual Olympic Peninsula Apple and Cider Festival will present events and tastings across a number of locations from Friday to Sunday.
“We live in such an amazing region,” said Kerri Kitaji, event coordinator for the Production Alliance, which is organizing the event. “This time of year tourism kind of drops off a little. This is definitely a great reason to come out and visit and watch the leaves change and just celebrate all of our local food growers and all these places that make the experience of coming to Port Townsend and Chimacum and Port Ludlow so unique and special.”
On Friday, an apple and cider cooking class will take place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Port Ludlow Resort, 1 Heron Road. The class costs $28. Tickets can be purchased at portludlowresort.com/event/flavors-of-fall-cooking-class.
Also Friday, Taps at the Guardhouse, 300 Eisenhower Ave., Fort Worden, will host a cider tasting of locally produced ciders from noon to 8 p.m. Live music from Abracadabra Trip Duo will take place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
A full day of activities is scheduled on Saturday, including a number of tasting opportunities at the Eaglemount Cider Fest and the Fall Fire Party at Propolis.
The Eaglemount Cider Fest, a first for Port Townsend’s Eaglemount Winery and Cidery, 1893 S. Jacob Miller Road, will occur between noon and 5 p.m.
In previous years, Eaglemount hosted a cider saloon, which brought ciders from around the state, Kitaji said. After the Production Alliance opted not to bring the cider saloon back this year, the cidery decided to take on a new involvement, she added.
The cidery, once located on Eaglemount, still maintains its orchard there.
Kitaji said the mini-fest within the festival will include a cornhole competition on the grounds.
“It is a beautiful space, with a huge wrap-around deck, out in the forest and the fields,” Kitaji said. “It’s a cool location to be at. The Palindrome has been around since I was a child. Like 40 years of being a space were people gather and dance and now taste cider.”
The Fall Fire Party, hosted by Propolis Brewing, 2457 Jefferson St., Port Townsend, will run from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The party started along with the first apple and cider festival, said Danny Milholland, the Production Alliance’s director of operations.
Although Propolis does not produce cider, there will be local ciders on tap, Kitaji said.
“It’s kind of an indoor-outdoor dance party with the fire show,” Kitaji said. “More of a nightlife, DJ, dance-out all of your cider touring (event). People dress up kind of funky; caterpillar dreams is the theme this year.”
The event will include music from DJ Lunchlady and friends as well as a Hypnotic Firey Chrysalis dance by Chana Hoops.
The festival weekend will culminate on Sunday at Finnriver Farm and Cidery, 124 Center Road, Chimacum, with Apple Day running from noon to 6 p.m. The event has a recommended donation of $10 to $20, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
“Last year was gorgeous,” Kitaji said. “We had over 2,000 people. The sun was shining and the parking lot was packed all the way to the back of the orchards.”
Event organizers are prepared with large tents in case the weather is less extraordinary, Kitaji said.
The Production Alliance will make cider onsite during the event.
Art Monster Face Painting will provide free face painting from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
“Get there in time and get in line,” Kitaji said “Face painting is always so popular.”
A wand-making making station will be open from noon to 4 p.m., where attendees can choose from a variety of driftwood sticks to be wrapped, painted and otherwise customized.
The Boiler Room Stringband will open the day’s music starting at 12:30 p.m.
“Which is a local band of high school kids,” Kitaji said.
The band started at Fort Worden’s Fiddle Tunes this year, Kitaji said. They are part of the Production Alliance’s emerging artist program. As a part of the program, the event organization will provide professional photographs from their live performance, which they can use for promotion.
Sequim Acrobatics will perform a haunted circus inside at Finnriver at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. They also will offer teaching and demonstrations in Finnriver’s field, when they’re not performing.
Portland artist Dumpster Joe will perform at 2:30 p.m.
At 4 p.m., following the second haunted circus, will be the Orchard Magic Parade.
Mr. T, a local teacher and musician, will bring about 50 buckets, which can be strapped on and used as drums for the parade, Kitaji said.
“[He] kind of teaches the kids a little drumline, and then we go marching all around the field and out into the orchard and have a big celebration,” Kitaji said. “Since we will all have wands this year, we’re going to have all the kids make a wish or cast a hope into the world, and then march back into the parade grounds. Each are going to get a little cedar bow that they can then throw into the bonfire and have a harvest wish for the season.”
The Salish Sea Makers Market will run from noon to 5 p.m. Finnriver hosts the makers markets intermittently throughout the year.
“Last year they said it was the best makers market they had ever had,” Kitaji said.
Rockhound Mines, of Sugarhill Farms, will be on site from noon to 6 p.m. and will offer a sluicing activity where people can purchase bags of dirt with gems and stones in them.
“They have a sluicing machine where they have water pouring down different sections,” Kitaji said. “You use kind of like a gold panning sieve to get your gems and rocks out, that you get to keep.”
Hot Damn Scandal will close out music for the day starting at 4:30 p.m.
Food can be purchased from Dented Buoy Wood-Fired Pizza, Finnriver Kitchen, Moonlight Oysters, Fiddlehead Creamery, The Friendly Nettle and Zack’s Little Creperie.
All events, excluding the cooking class, which will include cocktails and the fall party at Propolis, are open to all ages.
Tastings
Opportunities to taste a variety of ciders will be available from noon to 8 p.m. today through Sunday at Finnriver, Alpenfire Cider’s tasting room, 220 Pocket Lane, Port Townsend, from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Eaglemount from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Olympic Bluff Cidery and Lavender Farm, 1025 Finn Hall Road, Port Angeles, from noon to 5 p.m., and at Bird & Blossom Cidery from noon to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
Bird & Blossom, a recently opened cidery in Nordland on Marrowstone Island, 6495 Flagler Road, grows its apples on site.
“They bought it with no trees on it,” Kitaji said. “They planted a bunch of apple trees, and they’re producing a bunch of apples, which is exciting.”
Kitaji visited the cidery recently and noted the views.
“As you sit there, you can look at all the apple trees,” Kitaji said. “Up above on the deck, there’s a pretty cool view. It does look out into the water.”
The new cidery also will have cornhole and plenty of seating in the yard, Kitaji said.
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Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@peninsuladailynews.com.
