We love the fall season for so many reasons. The colors, the smell of drying leaves, and of the outdoor festivities that signal we’re in the throes of one of the best seasons of the year are among the best things about autumn in North Carolina. One major part of each fall season is the harvest, and with the many harvests in the state, come harvest festivals. The annual Apple Butter Festival in North Carolina is a must each and every fall… check it out below.

What better place to celebrate this sweet delight, than at a festival where it takes center stage?

Flickr/jeffreyw

It’s believed that apple butter has been around since the Middle Ages, when the first monasteries appeared in Europe and they needed a way to better preserve the apples for the winter season. The tasty secret of preserving the apples crossed the Atlantic, where the annual tradition has been carried on throughout the ages right here in the Tar Heel State.

Facebook/Mitchell County Historical Society

Making apple butter the old-fashioned way still seems to be a highly social activity. Sure, there are new-fangled ways of speeding up the process… but WHY? At the Apple Butter Festival in Bakersville this month, you’ll get to see apple butter making at its finest. And more importantly… sample the fruits of the labor.

Facebook/Mitchell County Historical Society

The festival also entails a variety of outdoor activities along the picturesque Creek Walk in downtown Bakersville. Vendors of all types will be on hand for browsing, or just chatting.

Facebook/Mitchell County Historical Society

And there will be live music! You can expect a little of everything, entertainment-wise.

Facebook/Mitchell County Historical Society

But it may be hard to pull yourself away from the coolest activity of this tasty festival: the apple butter churning!

Facebook/Mitchell County Historical Society

The Annual Apple Butter Festival in Bakersville is set to take place Saturday, October 13, 2018 at Bakersville Creek Walk located at 26 S. Mitchell Ave., Bakersville, NC 28705. The gates open at 10:00 a.m. and close at 4:00 p.m. For more information, contact The Mitchell County Historical Society (828) 688-4371, or check their Facebook page for updates about the festival.

Flickr/jeffreyw

Facebook/Mitchell County Historical Society

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