The cost of admission is $5 per adult, or $10 per car. Children under age 12 are free. For more information, go to oxfordmuseumassociation.com.
“This year, we’ve tied it in with Miami University’s Family Weekend. So, there will be parents, along with their sons and daughters, who will attend our event. We also get a lot of Miami students who volunteer at the event,” Carmean said.
The fall celebration will feature fresh apples, apple butter, funnel cakes, kettle corn and more. There will be live music from the bluegrass band 2nd Time Around from 2-4 p.m. and DJ John will be there from 10 a.m. to noon both days.
More than 60 artists and crafters will also be on site, showcasing a variety of handmade goods. Three food trucks will offer items for sale, including Deez Tacos.
“We just want to share a nice fall event with the community,” Carmean said. “If you’ve never tasted apple butter, it’s the only opportunity you’re going to in this county, and in Southwest Ohio.”
Apples will be for sale from Wesler Orchards & Farm Market, an Ohio producer, who has been part of the festival for many years. There will also be 9 oz. jars of apple butter for sale produced by Yoder’s Fine Foods, another Ohio company.
“We have people come back every year, and we usually sell-out. We have ordered 135 cases of apple butter for this event, and we’ve increased the quantity this year,” Carmean said.
Artisans will sell a variety of goods, such as pottery, candles, jewelry, soaps and fall décor.
The historical sites on the property will also be open. Historical sites include an 1836 homestead, the Doty Homestead, which is period decorated, and the Pioneer Barn, an 1840s/1850s Pennsylvania Bank Barn. Guests can enjoy spinning, weaving and blacksmithing demonstrations.
Other highlights of the event will include apple butter-making demonstrations from noon-3 p.m. with assistance from the Eagle Scouts, Epsilon Tau Pi and visits with naturalists from Hueston Woods State Park, who will bring raptors such as hawks, owls, or eagles, from 12:15-1:15 p.m. There will also be alpacas at the event with a chance to pet and feed the animals at the petting zoo.
The apple butter made during the demonstrations will be given away to guests as free samples.
This is a family-friendly event. About 60 volunteers help to put on the festival. The festival is a major fundraiser for the Oxford Museum Association, and proceeds from the event support the educational programming and preservation activities of the Oxford Museum Association. Thousands of guests typically turn out for the event.
“It’s a fun weekend for the family. It’s very family-oriented,” Carmean said. “It’s also a great chance to sample apple butter, and to take some home.”
How to go
What: 58th Annual Apple Butter Festival presented by The Oxford Museum Association
When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 7-8
Where: Hueston Woods Pioneer Farm 6924 Brown Road, Oxford (next to a golf course)
Cost: $5 per adult or $10 per car, Children ages 12 and under are free
More info: oxfordmuseumassociation.com. Dog-friendly event
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