North Carolina Apple Festival

Cider Slushies rule!
The NC Apple Festival takes place every year on Labor Day weekend. The good news = it really is a lot of fun. The bad news = it draws massive crowds.
We arrived early in the day, around 10 AM, and Main Street was starting to thicken with people. Parking was pretty easy to find. As you approach the Festival, you will see people holding signs for paid parking. Local businesses let organizations such as the Girl Scouts and The Red Cross use their parking lots to earn donations in return for the parking. Great move for charities!
The Festival itself is block after block of stands from various apple farms interspersed with arts, crafts and vendors. The Farms offer everything from fresh apples, apple sippers, cider and cider slushies, to apple turnovers and apple pies; if you can make it from an apple, it’s there!
One end has a carnival set up, complete with rides and games. Ticket prices were very reasonable and some of the games guaranteed winning a prize for the kiddos.
Yes, there was a two way street filled with festival goers walking at a zombie’s pace, at times making it difficult to see things or to stop and browse. Other than that, this is a pretty high quality way to spend some time with your family!