Festive Event Mars' Applefest under new management
MARS — The annual Applefest will go on this year, but under new management. The Mars Area Ministerium has taken on the task of planning and operating the Applefest on Saturday, downtown.
The event had been organized by the Mars Chamber of Commerce, but that organization disbanded last year.
The Rev. Gary Weston, pastor at Valencia United Presbyterian Church and treasurer of the ministerium, said the committee planning the festival was helped immensely by longtime coordinator Gail Carpenter. Weston said committee members shadowed Carpenter for one year as she patiently demonstrated how to plan the event, which drew more than 9,000 people last year.
"She really kind of took us on board as a kind of on-the-job training," Weston said.
He said the festival will largely look like Applefests of the past, with only a few changes as a result of the ministerium overseeing the event. Weston said there will be no gambling during Applefest, including 50/50 raffles.
A few contemporary Christian musical groups will fill the stages set up on either end of Grand Avenue as well.
Also, St. John Specialty Care will not participate in this year's Applefest. Weston said the festival's pie tasting and baby beauty contests normally held there will be discontinued. Weston said the main reasons St. John's is not serving as a festival site are its distance from the main festivities, pedestrian and vehicle traffic flow issues, and lack of entrants in the two contests.
He said the parking lot at the Woodland Valley Church in Mars will contain a few extra vendors who had been on the St. John campus, and vendors will be permitted to park their vehicles at the campus.
Weston said those attending Applefest will probably be unaware of the changes.
"I don't think most people will notice any big difference than in any other year," he said.
Jason Gillis, a Valencia United Presbyterian member and a chiropractor, took on the task of coordinating vendors for Applefest, along with Old Union Presbyterian Church member Linda Millson.
Gillis said more than 100 food, craft and game vendors will set up at the event.
He said Bob Martin of Valencia United Methodist Church has lined up several musical and entertainment performances. More than 20 Mars School District clubs and groups will participate in the festival.
"Plus there's a lot to do," said Gillis. "It's a great community event."
Weston hopes to surpass attendance from Applefests of the past, and he is eager to see what visitors think of the changes.
"We certainly hope we have great weather and the people will come out," Weston said.
