Westfield Historical Society Announces AppleFest 2023

BAKLAVA TO GO…At the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Westfield, volunteers get boxes of Greek desserts ready for the customers who ordered their food online. Siblings Sophia, Zachary and Marina Skalkotos helped at the dessert counter. Because of Tropical Storm Ophelia, the annual outdoor Greek Festival with live music, games and vendors was canceled, but customers looking for moussaka and other Greek dishes were able to order them online and pick up their meals. Susan M. Dougherty

Community

October 5, 2023

WESTFIELD — On Saturday, October 21, the Westfield Historical Society will hold the annual AppleFest celebration from noon to 4 p.m. on the lawn of theReeveHistoryandCulturalResource Center, popularly known as the Reeve House, located at 314 Mountain Avenue, Westfield.The same weekend, the Westfield Historical Society will host Union County’s Four Centuries in a Weekend Open House at the Reeve House.

Now in its 15th year, AppleFest is an annual fund-raising event, hosted on the lawn of the Reeve House. It draws visitors of all ages who participate in activities centered around a theme that celebrates a particular time in history, past orpresent.Thethemethisyearwillfocus on celebrating the history and significance of the United States Constitution.

As part of the day, there will be two brief introductions to the United States Constitution, one geared towards adults and one geared towards school children. Children also will have the chance to participate in some hands-on activities centered around the Constitution, including a scavenger hunt. In addition to these talks, a representative from the Westfeld Area Y will give a short overview of the long history of the Y in the town. The Westfield Area Y has been serving the community for 100 years.

As always, younger children visiting AppleFest will enjoy participating in old-fashionedoutdoorgames,andpumpkin and face painting. Westfield-native “Save Mary Band” will entertain with favorite tunes from the last four decades. The celebrated Apple Café will serve hot food.

Upholding another long-standing tradition, AppleFest 2023 will sponsor an art contest for elementary and middle school students. The Apple Pie Contest is coming back this year and entries are encouraged! Guidelines for the pie contest are posted on the website: www.westfieldhistoricalsociety.org/ events Admission is $5 per person, and free for veterans and children under 3 years old. The AppleFest committee is grateful for all the sponsors who support this event and all Westfielders for their commitment to this town, its past and its future.TheWestfieldHistoricalSociety’s AppleFest Committee looks forward to seeing many families on October 21.

For further information on the Westfield Historical Society and its activities, or to volunteer, call (908) 6541794 or visit www.westfieldhistoricalsociety.org,like the organization on Facebook and follow it on Instagram.