Looking for a fun fall festival in Pennsylvania? Head to the National Apple Harvest Festival near Gettysburg to enjoy wonderful vendors, music, entertainment, and lots of apple-related food and drink!
My visit to the festival was hosted by Destination Gettysburg. All experiences and opinions in this post are my own.
You’ll Have a Blast at this Adams County Apple Festival
Drive around Adams County, PA and you’ll see one beautiful apple orchard after another. The county is home to over 20,000 acres of apple orchards growing more than 35 varieties of apples! It’s the largest producer of apples and peaches in Pennsylvania and the sixth largest in the United States.
Every October, Adams County celebrates with the National Apple Harvest Festival. Fall is my favorite season, so it was the perfect time to plan a getaway with my good friends Lindsay and Fadra. We even got matching shirts for the occasion!
We headed into the festival on Saturday morning and made a beeline to the food. First stop: apple strudel and coffee!
Not long after, we stopped for sandwiches: grilled cheese and apple for them, steak with grilled onions for me.
Bellies (somewhat) full, we stopped to listen to some Irish music. There are several stages around the Gettysburg apple festival grounds and I enjoyed listening to the variety of music.
Related: Top Tours and Activities in Gettsyburg
Next we were focused on shopping! There are so many awesome vendors selling everything from soaps, jewelry, and clothing to home decor and natural herbs, oils and spices. I bought myself a beautiful bracelet and picked up a few gifts for my family.
Next on our agenda at the Pennsylvania apple harvest festival was sampling some wines and ciders and more food!
We shared a pit beef sandwich (outstanding – and one of the longest lines at the festival), an apple dumpling with ice cream, apple slices with caramel sauce, and an apple fritter (my personal favorite bite of the day). I also bought (way too many) whoopie pies to take home.
There are also hay rides, pony rides, a petting zoo, antique cars and farm equipment, chainsaw carving demonstrations, Native American dancing, and crafts and activities for little kids.
And I really do need to mention the excellent bathroom situation at this Biglerville apple festival. There were lots of porta-potties, no lines, and workers cleaning and directing visitors. I truly appreciate having a clean, quick bathroom at an outdoor festival!
Tips for Visiting the Apple Harvest Festival in PA
Here are my top tips to make the most of your visit.
Go early. Or go late. (Haha, helpful, right?) Here’s the rub: Parking and traffic will be busy, moreso if you go mid-morning when the most people are entering the festival. It could take 30-60 minutes to park, so plan accordingly.
For the easiest entry, get there first thing in the morning. However, you could also go in the afternoon when the morning crowd is starting to clear out and you might get lucky with parking. But know that some food vendors may have limited offerings or sell out later in the day.
I highly recommend sharing food. There’s a lot you’ll want to try, so buy one item and split it with your friends or family. Then move on to the next delicious bite!
Bring a reusable bag to help carry all the goodies and merchandise you buy.
Plan at least 3-4 hours to enjoy the festival, but you could definitely spend all day there.
And if you’re looking to make a weekend of it, check out all the fun my friends and I had in Adams County with these 6 Fun Ways to Celebrate Apple Harvest Season in Pennsylvania!
Apple Harvest Dates and Ticket Information
Located in scenic Adams County, the National Apple Harvest Festival is held at the South Mountain Fairgrounds in Biglerville. It’s about 9 miles northwest of Gettysburg in south central Pennsylvania, an easy day trip from Washington DC, Baltimore, Hershey/Harrisburg, Pittsburg, and Philadelphia.
Psst… here’s more to do in Pennsylvania!
This festival takes place every year the first two full weekends in October, rain or shine. It runs Saturdays from 8am to 6pm and Sundays 8am to 5pm.
Ticket prices in 2024 are as follows:
- General (12+) – $10
- Seniors (60+) – $9
- Military w/ ID – $9 (at gate)
- Two-Day Flex Admission (12+) – $17
- Kids Under 12 – FREE
Admission includes parking in one of several parking fields, shuttle bus or wagon service to the festival grounds, and all live entertainment, attractions, and exhibits.
Learn more at appleharvest.com!
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