Applefest offered much to see, do and taste
FALL FUN — Robin James and her 11-month-old granddaughter, Juliet Simpson, watch as 4-year-old Theodore Simpson, Tyler Van Camp and and Kendra James work together in the pumpkin-carving contest held Saturday as part of the Wellsburg Applefest. -- Warren Scott
ALL ABOARD — Many visitors to the Wellsburg Applefest enjoyed a miniature train ride along city streets during the three-day festival, which also included a variety of food and other vendors, live entertainment and other activities. -- Warren Scott
In its 45th year, the Wellsburg Applefest offered much for area residents to see, do, hear and taste. -- Warren Scott
In its 45th year, the Wellsburg Applefest offered much for area residents to see, do, hear and taste. -- Warren Scott
In its 45th year, the Wellsburg Applefest offered much for area residents to see, do, hear and taste. -- Warren Scott
In its 45th year, the Wellsburg Applefest offered much for area residents to see, do, hear and taste. -- Warren Scott
FALL FUN — Robin James and her 11-month-old granddaughter, Juliet Simpson, watch as 4-year-old Theodore Simpson, Tyler Van Camp and and Kendra James work together in the pumpkin-carving contest held Saturday as part of the Wellsburg Applefest. -- Warren Scott
ALL ABOARD — Many visitors to the Wellsburg Applefest enjoyed a miniature train ride along city streets during the three-day festival, which also included a variety of food and other vendors, live entertainment and other activities. -- Warren Scott
In its 45th year, the Wellsburg Applefest offered much for area residents to see, do, hear and taste. -- Warren Scott
In its 45th year, the Wellsburg Applefest offered much for area residents to see, do, hear and taste. -- Warren Scott
In its 45th year, the Wellsburg Applefest offered much for area residents to see, do, hear and taste. -- Warren Scott
In its 45th year, the Wellsburg Applefest offered much for area residents to see, do, hear and taste. -- Warren Scott
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WELLSBURG -- In its 45th year, the Wellsburg Applefest offered much for area residents to see, do, hear and taste this weekend.
Hundreds made their way through the city's downtown business district, where streets were lined with an assortment of food and other vendors and a variety of entertainers performed on the Town Square.
With the goal of appealing to visitors of all ages, the three-day festival included miniature train rides along city streets and contests for apple pie baking, pumpkin decorating and pumpkin carving, with children using safety knives to carve jack-'o-lanterns with the help of parents and other adults.
Along Charles and Seventh streets were numerous vendors selling assorted sandwiches and treats and merchandise ranging from cornhole game boards to seasonal indoor and outdoor decorations.
Among them were members of three local volunteer fire departments.
Darin Pizer, a leader of the Franklin Community Fire Department, noted members have been selling assorted varieties of fudge there for a number of years and added fry pies to their booth this year.
The department was selling chances for its Black Friday drawing, which will be held Nov. 22. For $5, participants will receive a chance to win $2,500 in cash and $2,500 in gift cards.
No more than 2,500 chances will be sold.
Pizer said the department also was accepting sponsors for the luminaria placed along Commerce Street (state Route 2) and other city streets at Christmas.
It's a holiday tradition the department carried out by the firefighters in memory of Ron Ostrosky, a leader of the department who had organized it for many years, and they often are aided by members of his family and other volunteers.
McKinleyville Fire Chief John Haas said the group was selling T-shirts to promote breast cancer awareness and chances for $3,000 in fresh meat, with each $20 ticket including two numbers for the March 3 drawing.
The department also was accepting donations for the family of Seth Burek, a 26-year old McKinleyville firefighter who died on Thursday from cancer.
Members of the Wellsburg Fire Department said 10 percent of proceeds from their own booth will go to the Burek family.
"We provide mutual aid to McKinleyville and we're one big family," said Jeannette Paugh, who was among volunteers manning the booth.
She and others were selling a wide assortment of scented candles, which has become a regular Applefest fundraiser for the group.
Paugh added to support the department's operations, it holds bingo each Thursday except holidays at the Wellsburg Banquet Hall. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with early bird games beginning at 6:30 p.m. and bingo starting at 7 p.m.
Some groups embraced the festival as an opportunity to share information.
Members of the Wellsburg Elks Lodge brought the West Virginia Elks' drug information trailer, which offered information about the dangers of drug abuse, while also selling apple dumplings and other food.
Volunteers with A Child's Place Court-Appointed Special Advocates invited children to play a fishing pond game, with toy fish and rod.
They also shared information about the volunteers it trains to represent the interests of children involved in abuse and neglect cases in Brooke, Hancock and Jefferson counties.
Linda Amos was among members of the Friends of Brooke County Public Libraries who offered free children's books and information about programs through which children can receive free books before entering school.
The young visitors were invited to sit on a mat under the group's tent and hear a story read by one of several guest readers.
The Friends of the Libraries also sponsored the pumpkin-decorating contest, distributing pumpkins and decorative materials in advance. The contest drew 18 young participants.
The group was one of several organizations sponsoring various aspects of the festival.
Musical guests that included an Elvis tribute artist, country singers, a rock band and others were sponsored by Mark's Carry Out and the Cross Law Office. Traubert's Pharmacy provided for the train rides, while Main Street Bank supported free face painting for children.
Team Ford of Wellsburg sponsored a classic car show, which was organized by Fred Marino and drew more than 135 vehicles.
The festival was inspired by the discovery of the Grimes Golden apple at Thomas Grimes' farm on Washington Pike in 1832
The seeds for that variety of the fruit are said to have been provided by Johnny "Appleseed" Chapman. While he's come to be seen as a legendary figure, Chapman was a real person known for planting apple trees in five states and Ontario while sharing the Christian gospel.
A nutcracker depicting Chapman and created by the Nelson family behind Steubenville's Nutcracker Village was displayed at the Brooke County Historical Museum and Culture Center on Charles Street.
Among many visitors to the museum on Saturday were Robert Scott of Steubenville and Dan Lauricella, a friend of Scott's from Saratoga, N.Y.
Scott explained he's always looking for unique settings for photos taken for his Instagram site and has enjoyed shopping at the antique stores open on Charles Street through the year.
Asked what he enjoyed most about the festival, he said, "Definitely the music. We usually buy something to take home -- jams, cakes and pies."