Festival to celebrate the apple industry

SCRUMPTIOUS: The festival will include a month-long Apple Trail.

Apple Fest is coming to Hastings in March.

The Hastings City Business Association (HCBA) has taken on the project first proposed by now-defunct Food Hawke's Bay.

"We are so excited to put on an event in Hastings celebrating our most important crop and the bountiful harvest from the fruit bowl of New Zealand," said general manager Susan McDade.

The festival will include a month-long Apple Trail highlighting businesses in the Hastings district celebrating the versatile fruit.

Savoury and sweet dishes in restaurants and cafes, arts and crafts, and cider, will be showcased in the trail guide.

The highlight of Apple Fest will be an old-fashioned family fun carnival day on March 19 with live music and activities for all ages with everything to do with apples.

Cooking competitions, demonstrations and a world record attempt will round off the weekend of fun.

Although based in the Hastings CBD there will be feeder events throughout the district celebrating the apple industry.

The Night Market on March 17 will be apple-themed and the businesses throughout Hastings CBD can all be involved in the fun.

"We will also be going out to the apple industry to ask how they want to be involved and what ideas they have," said Ms McDade, "as they are crucial to the success of Apple Fest.

"We are also very keen to have a pickers' lunch in town to thank the workers who make the harvest happen."

Hastings District Council member Malcolm Dixon is thrilled that the council is partnering with the HCBA to bring another hero event to the Hastings district.

"This festival provides a golden opportunity for the wider community to celebrate the enormous contribution that the apple industry provides for the Hastings economy and our workforce," he added.

With industry support it had the potential to become an annual event.

For more information on all of the events visit hastingscity.co.nz