Record crowds expected for annual celebration of Applefest this Sunday, Oct. 1

WARWICK - Weather permitting, an estimated 30,000 visitors are expected to come to Warwick this Sunday, Oct. 1, for the 18th annual celebration of Applefest. The traditional festival, Warwick’s largest and most well attended event has been held since 1988 to celebrate the local apple harvest. And this year Applefest will feature over 240 craft vendors and 40 food vendors, as well as music, dancing and a variety of other free entertainment plus children’s rides and an old-fashion apple pie contest. Local families also have an opportunity to avoid the crowds and preview the rides and amusements at Stanley-Deming Park on Saturday, Sept. 30. And this evening, Friday, Sept. 29, the Warwick Valley Community Center is sponsoring a pre-Applefest “Teen Night,” with live band music and refreshments, from 4 - 10 p.m. Traffic this Sunday is expected to be unusually heavy, particularly along Route 17A. The Warwick Police Department urges residents to avoid driving near or through the village. There are special designated parking areas at Memorial Park, the middle school and the Park Avenue School with shuttle service to and from the festival as required. Transportation for the disabled will be available at the Middle School parking area. Look for the signs. The Applefest committee trusts local residents will not be too upset by any inconvenience this Sunday. The popular festival is a major fundraiser and much needed proceeds from the event are used for town-wide community projects and non-profit organizations. This Sunday the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Warwick Valley Community Center will also distribute an Applefest 2006 Visitors’ Guide. “Both residents and visitors look forward to seeing the dynamic area businesses, diverse exhibitors and events that fill the pages of this publication,” said Janine Dethmers, who managed the project for her firm, Corporate Impressions. Local artist Kristine Gorman provided the contest-winning illustration for the 32-page booklet containing schedules of Applefest events, visitor information, a listing of craft exhibitors and food vendors, as well as a user-friendly map of the festival area.