Apple Festival 2012 at UBC Botanical Garden
byThe air is cooler but the colour of the leaves is getting warmer around Metro Vancouver. Turkey dinners have passed and Halloween costumes are being considered. It’s officially fall. What better way to celebrate than to bundle up and enjoy the season’s bounty at the UBC Botanical Garden’s Apple Festival this weekend:
When Saturday, October 13, 2012 from 11:00am to 4:00pm
Where UBC Botanical Garden & Centre for Plant Research (6804 SW Marine Drive, Vancouver)
Admission $4 cash entry for adults and children over 12. Children under 12 are free. All proceeds from this event support the educational, research and community programs in the Garden.
Every year, around 44,000 lbs (20,000 kilos) of apples are sold to thousands of hungry attendees. More than 70 varieties of heritage, new and “tried and true” varieties are available, grown both conventionally and organically. These include the heritage apples ‘Grimes Golden’ ‘Bramley Seedling’, ‘Cox’s Orange Pippin’ and many others and also new varieties like the very popular ‘Ambrosia’ which was hybridized in Cawston British Columbia, will be available. Also for sale will be many varieties of apple trees (2011 List of Apple Tree Cultivars for Sale) grafted onto dwarfing root stock, perfect for the home garden or patio.
The tasting tent is always a hit and there will be up to 60 BC-grown varieties to sample. You can ‘stump the experts’ (or at least try to) by bringing up to 6 varieties of your own from an unknown apple tree and the BC Fruit Testers Association will identify them. They’ll also be hosting grafting and cider-pressing demonstrations.
Watch the main festival stage at 1:00pm as the Apple Festival hosts a naming ceremony for Canada’s newest apple, currently bearing the title of “SPA493”.
There’s also the Children’s Area with live entertainment, the Food Fair, Shop the Garden Centre, and many more apple-related activities and events happening throughout the day. Guests can also explore the rest of the UBC Botanical Garden like its Canopy Walkway.
Follow UBC Botanical Garden on Twitter and the Apple Festival on Facebook for more information.
