The Springville Apple Festival
When the community of Springville started the Apple Festival in October of 1981, there was a desire for an event greatly different from the Jackass Mail Run. The idea of a reenactment of the mule train which carried mail from Porterville to Daunt, started out to be a fun event with a historical twist. Over the years it degenerated into an opportunity to drink heavily while riding a horse and following the mail wagon up the highway to Springville.
Staging a mock holdup on the mail wagon as it entered into downtown Springville, always resulted in a noisy and smokey gunfight between the pseudo-bad guys and a few trusty, but diligent good guys. When the mail-run outriders gunned down the villains, as they always did, the mail wagon continued onto the Post Office where the sealed box of letters was delivered to the Postmaster.
The aftermath of the mock gunfight in the middle of Highway 190 evolved into a heavy drinking party. In the late afternoon, after the mail had been delivered, the Sheriff’s Department dispatched a sizeable group of deputies and their cars to Springville. A long string of sheriff cars would back up to the park across from the Springville Inn, ready for response to the many inevitable disturbances as the evening wore on and the alcohol took effect.
Many members of Springville were interested in creating a more positive event to counteract the negative publicity the Jackass Mail Run was creating. Whatever the event, it should be alcohol-free, and most importantly be something folks could, and would, attend with their whole family.
In the Bear Creek and Balch Park Road area were several apple orchards. In the 1880s, the nearest town was the fledgling community of Daunt, which was duly declared to be the Apple Capital of Tulare County. (The name wasn’t changed to Springville until 1911).
While traveling on the east coast, an early Springville Community Club member attended a couple of their apple festivals. She suggested something similar might be a perfect event to create more positive publicity for her hometown. A committee was quickly formed and within six weeks, in October, 1981, the first Springville Apple Festival was held. Local businesses, clubs, organizations, and most importantly the residents, became united in an effort to hold this first event.
Contests were organized for the best Apple Pie baked on a wood stove. There were also prizes to be awarded for the best Apple Bread, Apple Muffins, Apple Jelly, Canned Apples, Apple Salad, Apple Strudel, Apple Cookies, Apple Butter, and Apple Crisp. If you didn’t like apples, Springville wasn’t the right place for you that weekend.
Seven booths were set up in the parking lot in front of the Patton House (right across from the Fire Station), and in the park. The VFW sold popcorn and snow cones. The 4-H Club held a 10K Fun Run, starting it at Costa’s Twin Lakes (on the lower end of Globe Drive) and ending at Springville Park.
The result was a news article declaring the event to be, “The first family oriented, non-alcoholic event that provided entertainment for young and old alike.” The Springville Apple Festival had done exactly what it set out to do.
The next year, 1982, the seven booths grew to 25. The number continued to grow each year. In 1984 a Quilt Show was sponsored by the Springville Hobby Club. Free mule-drawn wagon rides were also offered. Attendance was estimated at approximately 500 each day. A short two years later, attendance was estimated at 5,000 each day.
By 1988 attendance swelled to roughly 8,000 per day. Folks were coming and bringing their families for the usual baked this-and-that contests, the 10K Race, the Annual Quilt Show and Sale at the Memorial Building, plus the addition of Apple Pizza for sale in one of the 100 booths. Clowns, jugglers, musicians, and pony cart rides added to festivity of the day.
In 1989 the number of booths had grown to 150. The apple-pie-making committee, known as “peelers and rollers” made 250 pies, froze them at Gifford’s Market ready to be baked in time for the event. Even with rain on Saturday, 9,000 attended. Sunday saw 8,000 show up for the event.
By 1990 the “peelers and rollers” bought 600 pounds of apples to make 350 pies. In 1991, even though vendors reported they thought sales were down, however, they wanted to return the following year for they agreed, it was a good event for them. Attendance was estimated at 20,000 for the two days. 1992 saw 1,200 pounds of apples turned into 700 pies. Attendance was in excess of 30,000, all milling around 125 booths.
By 1998, the event became known as the largest non-alcoholic, family-oriented event in Tulare County. Even so, in 2010 a Springville resident complained to Caltrans about public safety. This resulted in all booths having to be moved off the sidewalk and street and into every available parking space throughout town. Eagle Mountain Casino sponsored entertainment and provided shuttle busses from the rodeo grounds.
Between 2010 and 2019 the Apple Festival continued to provide family-oriented entertainment and an alcoholfree event. Booth numbers declined, at least in part because of space restrictions. Then in 2020 COVID became the worm in the Apple Festival and it wasn’t held. However, a few local folks had a community yard sale.
In 2021, in an effort to re-establish the event a one-day Apple Festival was held on October 16. There were 13 food vendors and 67 craft/commercial vendors. There was no Apple Run nor Fat Tire Classic bike race.
This year, Apple Fest 40, the 2022 Apple Festival, is back once again. As in the past, it will again be a one-day, alcohol-free, family-oriented event, held on Saturday, October 15 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. The Apple Run and the Fat Tire Classic are also back.
There will be booths up and down the main portion of Springville, including a new spot for vendors inside the old Hardware Store. I will be there in Booth 114 with all three of my books. Come by and say hello.