Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Festival Well-Attended Despite Wet Weather
LINCOLN — Rain and cooler temperatures didn’t dampen the spirits of many people who attended the Arkansas Apple Festival over the weekend at Lincoln.
Freda Walker of Tahlequah, Okla., who attended the event with two friends, said she has attended more than 25 festivals.
“I have seven children and I’ve brought all of them to the Apple Festival,” Walker said. Although her children are grown now and living in different parts of the country, she has told them they need to come home and attend the festival again.
Walker said the weather didn’t bother her. “I’ve always come and it didn’t matter if it was snowing, raining or the sun was shining.”
Steve and Denise Ballard and De Na Hubert, also of Tahlequah, had a booth filled with Scentsy candles and home decor containers.
“We’ve come here for five years and always do real good,” said Hubert. “The first year we came, we took home only three candles so we’ve come every year since then. We love it.”
Johnny Gilford of Lincoln said he took the day off work on Saturday to attend the festival for the first time. “I’m here. If the weather were better more would have turned out.”
It wasn’t the first time for Pam Schulte. She has been bringing her homemade apple relish, peanut butter fudge and chocolate fudge, to the festival for 10 years. Sharon Wood helped her friend sell the goodies at their booth. Both ladies were from Conway.
“The rain does hurt us,” said Schulte, adding she didn’t think the weather was the main factor that sales were a little slow. “At least it’s not sleeting like it was last year. I think more it’s the economy and right now the government shutdown.”
Ame r ican Leg ion members were not letting the wet weather bother them.
“We’re all veterans and we’re glad to do it,” said Chris Creecy of Springdale, who was helping sell smoked meat to festival goers. “We gotta do what we do for veterans. Everything we make goes back into the community.”
Linda Nichols, who was also at an American Legion booth, agreed with Creecy. “Everything goes to help the vets.”
Jeannie Hornsby, of Siloam Springs, brought her handmade baskets to the festival.
I’ve been weaving baskets since 2004 and ended up filling my house with baskets, so decided to sell them,” Hornsby said.
What would an apple festival be without apples? Members of the Lincoln Masonic Lodge No. 615 had bags of apples of different varieties for sale at their booth.
Mason Bill Morris said the apple sales each year go toward a scholarship fund for Lincoln High School students. “We do it every year,” Morris said.
Despite the weather, hundreds attended the 2013 festival and many enjoyed a lunch of beans, cornbread and apple dumplings provided by the Lincoln Kiwanis Club.
“It’s going real good,” said Mary Ann Spears, Kiwanis president. Lincoln students who are members of the Key Club and Builders Club were helping serve those who made their way into the Community Center.
“We couldn’t do this without them,” Spears said about the students.
A highlight for children was the Apple Core Throw- ing contest held during the festival. Winners for 3 year-olds included Isabela Bronson, first place, Noah Barnes, second place and Tripp Perkins, third place; 4 to 5- year- olds included Brooklyn Stovall, first place, Graham Price, second place and Tatum Perkins, third place; 6 to 8 year- olds included Tyler Shreve, first place, Sarah Snodgrass, second place, Aidan Grose, third place; 8 year-olds included Lona Blare, first place, Cameron Beck, second place and Connor Fenner, third place; 9 to 12-year-olds included Reid Reed, first place, Bryce Swinford, second place and Tyesha Barnes, third place winner.