Annual Apple Scrapple Festival Schedule and History: You’ll Never Guess the Outrageous Food Combo That Has People Lining Up!
The annual Bridgeville Apple Scrapple Festival promises 3 days of sweet & savory autumn traditions, heritage cooking contests, lively bluegrass music, and family-friendly activities in Sussex County, DE. Don’t miss signature events like the Apple Pie Bake-Off, 5K Costume Run through picturesque orchards. And the crowd-pleasing Pork Scrapple Competition when you attend October 2024!
Contents
Introduction
Every October, the small Delaware town of Bridgeville fills with sweet and savory scents. Locals and visitors gather for a beloved annual tradition – the Apple Scrapple Festival weekend.
The Bridgeville Historical Society hosts this lively harvest celebration on their fairgrounds. Dating back over 30 years, the family-friendly event pays tribute to the area’s agricultural roots.
The festival features tasty competitions centered around two favorite regional foods grown on nearby farms. Judges evaluate generations-old apple pie recipes alongside creative new twists. Teams also showcase old-fashioned cooking methods for pork scrapple. It is a savory local dish combining cornmeal, wheat flour, pork bits, and spice.
Beyond the food contests, the Apple Scrapple Festival packs in music performances, craft vendor stands, and lively activities from bluegrass dancing to epic pie-eating contests sure to delight all ages of attendees.
Festival Details
The Apple Scrapple Festival takes place every October in the small, rural town of Bridgeville, located in western Sussex County, Delaware.
When and Where It’s Held
The Apple Scrapple Festival is held annually on the second weekend of October at the Bridgeville Historical Society Fairgrounds.
- Address: 108 N Main St, Bridgeville, DE 19933
- Conveniently located off State Route 404, just 15 minutes from US Route 13
History and Origins
Marie Appleby, a devoted Bridgeville resident and history enthusiast, birthed the idea for the Apple Scrapple Festival in 1988. Her vision aimed to celebrate Sussex County’s rich agricultural legacy and foster community unity.
Back in the day, the local economy thrived on apple orchards and pork production from nearby farms. Festivals like the annual Apple Scrapple event pay tribute to the crops and dishes that have shaped the region’s culture for over two centuries.
Honoring Food Traditions
Sussex County’s tradition of pairing apples with scrapple dates back to the colonial roots of North American cuisine. Resourceful cooks ingeniously used pork scraps and cornmeal to craft robust, savory scrapple that perfectly complemented the naturally sweet apple flavors. Early settlement cookbooks featured recipes for pan-fried scrapple and warm spiced apple compotes.
Apple Scrapple Festival 2024 Schedule
Mark your calendars! The Apple Scrapple Festival takes place October 11-13, 2024 in Bridgeville, Delaware. Check the schedule below for a sampling of marquee events.
Festival Hours
- Friday, October 11: 12 PM – 10 PM
- Saturday, October 12: 7 AM to 10 PM
- Sunday, October 13: 9 AM – 3 PM
Saturday Highlights
- 7 AM – Apple Scrapple 5000 Run. Come dressed as your favorite fruit or meat dish!
- 9 AM – Gates open for craft vendors and food stands
- 12 PM – Apple Pie Baking Contest deadline for entries
- 3 PM – Youth pie-eating tournament with age brackets
- 6 PM – Team scrapple slab competition awards
Sunday Family Fun
- 9 AM – Pancake breakfast kicking off the last day
- 11 AM – Old-fashioned apple cider pressing demo
- 1 PM – Final call for pie, candy apple, and photo contest ballots
Main Events and Attractions
The Apple Scrapple Festival packs numerous sweet and savory activities into its 3-day event celebrating food, farming, and community. Alongside tasty eats, visitors will discover an old-fashioned county fair atmosphere with live music and contests galore.
Cooking Competitions
Watch area chefs and families square off in the heritage cooking arena! Fan favorite contests include:
- Apple Pie Baking Contest – Bakers flaunt generations-old pie recipes using Hudson Valley apples. Culinary judges select winners in youth, amateur and professional categories for over $3,000 in total prizes.
- Scrapple Cooking Competition – Teams demonstrate scrapple preparation techniques from cooking custom slabs in cast iron to frying crispy pan cakes. The public samples and votes on their favorite versions.
Craft Fair and 5K Run
- Local artisans and food vendors set up homespun stands offering handmade crafts, pumpkin decor, and autumn eats. Over 200 vendors participate annually.
- The Apple Scrapple 5000 run takes place on Saturday morning. This 5K jog traverses the Bridgeville countryside and is open to all ages.
Music and Entertainment
- Live local bands rock the festival stage performing bluegrass, country pop, and Americana tunes perfect for square dancing.
- Zany pie-eating contests, apple bobbing, and pie toss games add to the family-friendly fun.
Food and Drink
From sweet to savory, the Apple Scrapple Festival highlights the most beloved flavors of the fall harvest season in Delaware. Feast to your heart’s content on comforting, homemade dishes celebrating seasonal bounty.
Craving more delicious farm-fresh flavors? Don’t miss our coverage of the Farm to Fork Festival – a mouthwatering celebration of local harvests.
Signature Dishes
The namesake meal encapsulates the event’s sweet and savory spirit. Warm, crispy pan-fried scrapple cut into strips gets tucked into freshly baked apples pies or placed atop buttery shortcake. Locals recommend a drizzle of maple syrup or apple cider glaze to balance the rich diversity of textures and flavors.
Seasonal Favorites
In addition to scrapple-centric specialties, the festival showcases hearty, homemade autumn cuisine. Some mouthwatering options include:
- Slow-cooked pulled pork and smoked chicken sandwiches heaped with coleslaw
- Squash and pumpkin bisques swimming with fresh cream and mirepoix
- Apple cider donuts dusted in cinnamon sugar glaze straight from Fifer’s orchard
Photo Gallery
The Apple Scrapple Festival bursts with small town charm and fall harvest vibes that demand to be captured on film! Snap pics of locales like:
Heritage Cooking
The amateur baking arena with rows of pies cooling on country picnic tables. A cloud of aromatic cinnamon and nutmeg fills the air. Judges mill with forks and recipe spreadsheets rating creations’ flaky crusts and gooey apple insides.
Country Stage
A spirited bluegrass band fiddling under the lights as the sun sets over the festival fairgrounds. Couples two-step on the wooden dance floor with mugs of cider. Kids with apple fritter rings around their mouths spin and play underfoot.
Cider Pressing
A demonstration of old-fashioned apple pressing near the festival’s orchard roots. Children take turns rotating the metal screw, squeezing fresh, unfiltered cider from a pulp-packed barrel into vintage glass jugs.
Organizer’s Details
The Bridgeville Historical Society spearheads organizing the annual Apple Scrapple Festival to promote local culture. Get involved by contacting event directors.
Contact Information
- Phone: 302-337-9898
- Email: applescrapplefest@bridgevillehs.org
- Address: 108 N Main St, Bridgeville, DE 19933
Website and Social Media
- Official event website containing schedules, vendor registration, and membership info: https://www.applescrapple.com/
- Follow the Bridgeville Historical Society’s Facebook and Instagram pages for Apple Scrapple Festival updates and countdowns leading up to the big event.
Tips for First-Timers
As an autumn event spanning multiple days, it helps to strategize your Apple-Scrapple Festival experience, especially with kids in tow. Check out these expert tips for first-time attendees.
Getting There
- Use online maps and expect a 15-minute drive from Bridgeville town center to the Historical Society fairgrounds venue.
- Shuttles run from the nearby Red Roof Inn for ease of transit.
Packing List
Bring the following items to better enjoy the outdoor festivities:
- Light jackets and rain ponchos in case of chill or showers
- Foldable lawn chairs and picnic blankets for taking in music sets
- Cash for food vendors and artisans along Craft Row
- Camera to capture pie contest, cider pressing, and costume run photo ops
Kid Fun
- Pick up a festival scavenger hunt checklist of tasks for younger ones at the information booth.
- Have tiny tots partake in apple bobbing and pie-eating contests on Sunday afternoons.
Lodging Guide
Book your restful autumn escape when attending the weekend-long Apple Scrapple Festival. Charming accommodations and hospitality await near the Bridgeville fairgrounds venue.
- Country Inns – The Creekside Inn beams with converted stables outfitted with rustic chic suites showcasing rough-hewn beams and vintage soaker tubs. Enjoy made-to-order breakfasts on the back porch overlooking a gurgling creek.
- Boutique Hotels – The Bridgeville Hotel motors travelers back in time to the 1940s with period decor and suites paying homage to Hollywood’s Golden Age. Unwind in the old-fashioned dining room and catch a classic flick after festival hours.
- Budget-Friendly – For no-frills affordable lodging, the Apple Tree Motel offers rooms freshly updated with free WiFi and microwaves just a mile from all the apple scrapple action.
Conclusion
For over 30 years, the Apple Scrapple Festival has celebrated Bridgeville, Delaware’s agricultural traditions, family-centric community, and most iconic harvest foods. Attendees revel in the sights and smells of autumn at this annual event hosted by the Bridgeville Historical Society.
Follow your nose down fragrant rows of heritage apple pie contests. Allow your toes to tap along to the lively rhythms of bluegrass bands. And satisfy your appetite with hearty country cooking competitions pairing sweet and savory regional fare.
The second weekend of October annually promises crisp air, cozy flannels, and smiles all around at the Apple Scrapple Festival. So grab your crew and meet your neighbors at this can’t-miss Sussex County staple. Capture the flavors of the season and create nostalgic memories for life during a trip to Bridgeville.
FAQ
When is the Bridgeville Apple Scrapple Festival held?
The festival takes place every October during the second weekend – Friday to Sunday. In 2024 it runs October 11-13th.
Where does the festival take place?
The event venue is the Bridgeville Historical Society Fairgrounds, located at 108 N Main Street, Bridgeville DE 19933.
What is the cost to attend the Apple Scrapple Festival?
General admission tickets are $7 per adult each day. Kids under 12 enter free when accompanied by parents. Discounted multi-day passes are available.
Can I bring my dog to the festival?
Leashed pet dogs are permitted at the outdoor community festival for a small fee. Be sure to clean up after them!
Do you offer apple or scrapple themed food at the event?
Yes! Signature dishes highlight apples and pork scrapple in creative dishes from pies to slabs along with typical fair fare.
Lodging Disclaimer: The hotels, inns, and accommodations listed in this guide are recommendations based on research of properties located near the festival grounds. We are not compensated or sponsored by any of these establishments. All opinions are unbiased to help readers find convenient and enjoyable lodging options during their Apple Scrapple Festival visit.
