With summer-like temperatures, Cornelia’s 36th Annual Big Red Apple Festival was a big hit Saturday with festivalgoers. Streets were packed with more than 2,000 people in attendance. The festival began at 10 a.m. Saturday morning and by 11 a.m. well over 1,000 people were shopping, playing on bouncy houses, riding ponies, eating, and taking a hay ride around town. People were still arriving at 2 p.m. to take part in the festivities.
Children bounced in bouncy houses. They rode ponies and petted a pig and goats at the petting zoo. They even had their faces painted. The family-friendly event was enjoyed by all. Adults had the opportunity to shop various wares and crafts that vendors had available for sale.
SEE RELATED: Good turnout marks 36th Big Red Apple Festival
Festivalgoers didn’t bring only their children to the festival but many brought their dogs. One couple even brought their parrots. Michael and Susan Wilson of Lula brought their small parrots to the event. “They love to be out,” Susan said. The parrots, Skipper and Finley, seemed to enjoy the attention they received from those who were intrigued.
And then there was food of every kind for everyone. Festivalgoers had numerous options for food, from funnel cakes, hamburgers and hot dogs to having an opportunity to eat at one of the restaurants downtown. There was even live entertainment at Fenders Alley all day and into the evening.
Visitors
Not everyone at the festival was from Cornelia or Habersham County. Leigh Hall brought her family from Hartwell after seeing a post on social media about the festival. “We got all of our grandkids and kids together and come here and have a good time,” she said.
Hall and her family liked the festival. “I think it’s fun,” she said. She added, “It’s a really good festival, a lot of good vendors, a lot of original artwork.” Hall explained that was one reason she came to the festival, to find some original artwork. She said that she wanted to try to contribute back to the art community.
Ronnie Jost brought his family from Athens for the event. “We got the grandkids this weekend and we knew this would be a great place to bring them and have some fun with them,” he said. They arrived early in the afternoon “to let the crowds come through first,” he explained. He gave his thoughts about the festival. “Very nice. The kids seem happy,” he said.
Vendors
Many of the vendors seemed to be busy throughout the day. Faithful Flour Breads and Bakery owner Brook Hughey enjoyed her day at the Big Red Apple Festival. “It’s been great,” she said. “We’ve been super busy, very busy in the beginning.” She went on to say that she sold out all of her loaves of bread. By early afternoon, she only had pastries left.
Hughey owns a certified cottage bakery that she runs part time out of her home in Cornelia. She said that she has been baking sourdough bread for about a year now. As for participating in festivals as a vendor, “This is my first festival and I hope to do many more,” she said.
C.H. Ceramics owner Connor Hendrickson came all the way from Roswell to attend his first Big Red Apple Festival as a vendor. He does his own pottery in his garage where he has his own wheel and kiln. Hendrickson explains that some of his pottery is custom made. He uses some commercial glazes but for the most part he makes his own glazes for his pottery. For his first BRAF, he said that business was good.
The festival may have ended at 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon. However, vendors were still taking down their canopies and packing up their wares at 5 p.m. Also, Cornelia crews were still cleaning up from the event.
