Applefest attendance grew to more than 4,500 this year.
Salem Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jessiycka Coleman says she was pleased with the turnout.
“Huge crowd, a bigger crowd than 2022 for sure. Last year we had over 4,000 in attendance. We definitely crept over that number this year. Constant traffic for all of the vendors. We even had an increase in the number of food trucks this year and they all had lines. We had an increase in vendors and we saw several people at every vendor booth the entire day.”
Coleman says they would like to grow the event again next year and are looking at some new additions, but isn’t yet ready to talk about them.
Three sets of Mr. and Ms. Apple Dumpling were crowned. In one day to 12 months, the winners were Brix Lowery, the son of Greg and Aliscia Lowery, and Lizzie Wood, the daughter of Gavin Wood and Lexie Phillips. In the one to four-year-old age group, the winners were Zion Armstead, the son of Charles Armstead and Nicole Williams, and India Norman, the daughter of Taylor and Jarrett Norman. In the five years and above age group, the winners were Desley Genaust, the son of Thad Genaust and Kim Thomas, and Esme Findley, the daughter of Curtis and Ashley Findley.
Some of the vendors under the exhibit barn. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
