The Ninth Annual Cider Festival was held in the Botanic Gardens at the Heritage Farm on Oct. 14, 2017. Festival attendees sampled freshly pressed apple cider from various types of apples grown on the farm, while listening to live music played by local artists and visiting various informational booths scattered throughout the farm. As people waited in line to buy the cider for which the festival is named, they could observe the process of the cider pressing, as workers in aprons crushed the apples in a large machine inside the on-site barn.

I got to have a taste of the cider as I waited in line hoping to buy some—it was delicious, and well worth the $8-per-gallon price point! The only drawback was the hour-and-a-half long line that awaited those who wanted to purchase a jug of the cider. Instead of waiting to get my cider, I decided to take a tour of what was going on around the farm, and hoped the line would shorten by the time I was done. As I walked around the farm, I saw various farm animals in their pens, as well as some chile-roasting behind the animal pens. At one of the informational tables, a docent informed me about the crops growing on the farm, and explained that some of the trees had been there for centuries. I was impressed! As I finished up my tour of the farm, I saw the line had not died down, which certainly spoke to the cider’s popularity! Since I was running short on time, I was not able to get back in line to get my cider, and let myself be satisfied with the taste I got to have on my way in.

Overall, the Cider Festival was a ton of fun. There was lots to see, from the cider-making to the farm area, and the nice weather made it even more enjoyable. The cider itself was delicious, and getting to observe the process of its making was interesting. I can definitely see myself going back to the festival next year—maybe a little earlier so that I can finally get my hands on a jug of cider!