Applefest draws large attendance
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WELLSBURG -- Thousands of people flocked to the 41st Wellsburg Applefest on Saturday, enjoying the crafts, food and a beautiful fall day.
Frank Johnson, co-chairman of the Applefest, said there were more than 100 vendors at the festival, selling crafts and a large selection of food. There also was live music.
Johnson said several people commented on the festival looking bigger this year.
"It is the same as always," he said.
He started back in 1979, getting paid by Michael O'Brien, the founder and longtime chairman of the festival, to sweep the street and clean up the garbage.
"Our family has always helped," he said.
Festival goers had a chance to view the Johnny Appleseed nutcracker at the Brooke County Historical Museum & Culture Center. The nutcracker, honoring O'Brien, will be one of the newest this year at the Nutcracker Village in Steubenville.
O'Brien was a fixture at the festival, wearing the signature pot on his head. He died in 2016.
"I did this for Mike back then, and I'm still doing it for Mike," Johnson said.
Johnson said the Applefest committee has changed over the years.
"Everybody does their own special assignment," he said. "We have a group of volunteers committed to making this happen. We all work together."
Ruby Greathouse, board member at the historical museum, said the museum saved up enough money to purchase the nutcracker in honor of O'Brien.
Vickey Gallagher, museum director, said she contacted Therese Nelson, whose family handles the making of the nutcrackers, about getting a Johnny Appleseed nutcracker included in this year's display at the Nutcracker Village. Gallagher said Nelson told her only several new ones will be made but to go ahead and make an application. They were immediately notified the Johnny Appleseed nutcracker will be included, Gallagher said.
The nutcracker will be on display at future Applefests.
A Johnny Appleseed Christmas tree ornament will be sold at the Nutcracker Village.
"Michael was just a big part of Wellsburg, and we felt he needed to be honored," Gallagher said.
Jeff Roscoe of Flushing was back at the festival with his assortment of chainsaws carving up a variety of items, including pumpkins.
He said he has been at it for about 20 years, and spends the summer and fall doing demonstrations at fairs and festivals.
Roscoe was mainly working with white pine on Saturday at the Applefest.
"A couple of my buddies were carvers. I watched how they handled the saws and I just taught myself," he said.
His booth was surrounded by mesh netting for safety reasons.
Gene Chadwell of the Community of Christ Church in Follansbee also was back at the festival, only this time the church's 30 gallon copper kettle used to make apple butter was absent.
The church has been selling homemade apple butter cooked in the large kettle over an open flame since the beginning of the Applefest more than 40 years ago.
"This is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the church," he said.
As the church's members get older, he said it became hard for them to bring the kettle down to the festival and set it up without the help of younger church members. Not to mention the constant stirring of the apple butter.
"Now we make it at the church," he said of the apple butter.
The members make more than 800 pints during the fall, both sweet and unsweetened.
"I enjoy the Applefest so much. I look forward to it and meeting all the people," he said.
The Applefest continues today, with the "All Things Apple" contest sponsored by Mullenbach Funeral Home. There will be contests for the best apple pie, apple butter and other apple foods. A special children's competition will be open to cooks between the ages of 9 and 16.
Registration begins at 1 p.m. in the Town Square and judging will start at 2 p.m.
Live entertainment is set for throughout the day on the town square.