Running every weekend from September 16th to October 29th from 12-5pm, Highlands Orchards host a family-friendly festival full of fall fun. The Fall Festival included a face painter and a children’s corral, which cost three tokens, the equivalent of $3. There was also be $5 hayrides and a live wood-carving project over the course of the Fall Festival by Jason Wilber of Alpine Carving.
Before the Fall Festival began, I talked to Art Whitehair, the events coordinator at Highland Orchards, and Renee Ryan, the new marketing coordinator for more information on this festival. They took me on a tour of the orchards and I got to try some of their fresh apples, which — if you didn’t get your chance to pick them during the Fall Festival — you pick throughout the week with a “Pickers Permit.” Apple variety ranges from Gala, Honey Crisp, Smokehouse, Jonamac, McIntosh, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Macoun, Empire, Jonagold, Stayman, Mutsu, Ida Red, GoldRush, Winesap, Rome, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Pink Lady.
What Art loved the most about coordinating these events is the palpable excitement permeating the orchard, especially on days with great weather. “I’ve been here for close to 20 years,” he explained. “I like it, it’s great fun for everyone—I even like getting to drive the shuttles to bring people to the activities.”
Renee, commented further on the planning involved in this event. “The area will look completely different when we start to see anywhere from 3,000 to 8,000 
people in one weekend,” she explained. “There’s something new everyday. I’m most excited about seeing all the hard work that the market staff has done. And I’m excited to see what it’s all about, to know what people like about what we’re doing in the market and to see all of the children. It’s gonna be crazy fun.”
For more information on Highland Orchards, visit them online.
