APPLE DAYS FESTIVAL : TBC 2007

Picturesque Afton Park on the Isle of Wight attracts thousands of visitors for its Apple Days Festival. The idea of this increasingly popular event came from the environmental charity, Common Ground as a way to celebrate orchards, the English apple and apple traditions. But the Afton Park event is also becoming a celebration of the Island's food, crafts and art. Because the Isle of Wight is one of the sunniest places in the UK the festival is a month earlier than the mainland. In fact it is the first Apple Day of the year.

But it isn't all apples. Producers of the flourishing IOW Farmer's Market also attend and many Island based crafts and businesses take stalls. Other activities include pole-lathing demonstrations, chainsaw sculpting, ferret racing, archery, juggling, the Island Samba band and fun and games for the children with the 'Apple Olympics'. The beer tent has a real 'Island' flavour with local beers, wines & cider all available.

For the horticulurally inclined there is free entry to the award-winning gardens and garden walks and a well stocked nursery with many apple tree varieties available on the day.

The Apple Days Festival has captured people's imagination, with young and old, locals and visitors attracted to the age-old traditions of harvesting and celebrating Orchards as very special places. The 2004 event was featured on BBC Breakfast and on BBC South Today.

Web Site : www.appledays.co.uk

Getting there . . .
Afton Park is on the Newport Road near Freshwater Bay at the western end of the Island. From the Mainland - Wightlink is running special concessionary fares from Lymington to Yarmouth and this ferry service meets with the No 42 bus which stops right outside the main festival entrance - a short 8 minute bus ride. There is ample parking and disabled facilities.

More Details Will Follow...