Since its inception in 1991, the Harcourt Applefest has gone from strength to strength and is now bursting at the seams!
Consequently, this year’s festival organisers have decided to relocate the iconic festival and art show from its original home at James Park and the Harcourt Heritage Centre to the Harcourt Recreation Reserve.
Kicking off at 10am this Saturday March 8 at the corner of Binghams and Mills Roads in Harcourt, visitors can expect a day full of fun, entertainment, and of course — apples of all types!
Stallholders are booked with lots of goodies including food and coffee vans. The local CWA will continue to serve sandwiches, scones and other baked goods with a good old cuppa inside the hall, while the local Lions Club will provide sausages, hamburgers and egg and bacon rolls.
The Applefest will also feature apple pie making and an apple pie eating competition, and King Jonathon, Lady William (and their three children) and Granny Smith will be distributing apple products and will be available for a chat and a photo op.
The stage will be set up outside the main hall (with marquees providing some seating and shade) and will feature performances by Kashmiri Belly Dancers, Thompsons Foundry Band and the Harcourt Valley Primary School Choir.
The kids will be delighted with the range of activities including; ferret races, camel rides, laser tag, a rock climbing wall, as well as craft markets, homemade goodies and even a child-sized CFA truck.
The popular Art Show is open from Friday March 7 to Sunday March 9 and is always ‘abuzz’ as the artists are eager to learn of the award winners and hear the judge’s comments on their work. It is a great opportunity to purchase modest-sized, quality original art to give as a gift or to decorate your home. The children’s artwork will be also be on display.
The Lego display has become a mainstay and the theme for this year’s competition will be trains and railway.
Application forms for the Art Show, Cookery Competition and the Lego Competition are all available via the Applefest website and people of all abilities are encouraged to participate. Follow Harcourt Applefest on Facebook for more information.
Please note that the venue has changed (and the bank details have also changed) but it is the same committee and same exciting showcase of local talent and local produce that you have grown to expect in the picturesque Harcourt Valley.
King Jonathon (aka Remy) and Lady William (aka Bonnie) are pictured here with their royal descendants; eight-year-old Prince Finnley and six-year-old twin princesses, Leni and Miida, and the family’s court jester Waffle. 
