North Carolina Apple Festival returns to Hendersonville

The annual North Carolina Apple Festival is set to return to downtown Hendersonville, marking the arrival of fall in the region.

The festival begins on Friday, August 29, with the Kiwanis breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church. At 10 a.m., the street fair opens along Main Street, followed by the official opening ceremony at 10:30 a.m. on the Henderson County Courthouse Plaza.

The festival’s finale, the King Apple Parade, will take place at 2:30 p.m. on Monday. The parade route stretches along Main Street from Five Points to Kanuga Road and Caswell Street. Organizers expect the parade to feature floats, bands, youth groups, and fire trucks, with up to 60,000 spectators. Main Street will be closed from Caswell Street to Seventh Avenue during the event.

Organizers have asked attendees not to bring pets, unless they are service animals, citing safety and comfort concerns. Drones are also prohibited in the festival area.

Apple growers in Henderson County were heavily impacted by the storm earlier this year, with many losing a large portion of their 2024 crop. Festival organizers say they hope the event will be another step forward in Western North Carolina’s recovery from Hurricane Helene.