Here’s a fun, informative event with appeal for the whole family.
The 119th running of the Apple-Bee Festival is set for Sunday, Oct. 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event, which has taken place most years, features presentations on apples, apple sauce tasting, pie making, bees and more, said Dan O’Connell, one of the events organizers. “Of course there will be apple hurling with medieval siege engines and a few hydraulic ones as well,” he noted. “You can take your own apple pie home for baking, and there will be apple and honey vendors on hand. Relax and have a yummy baked apple and enjoy a relaxing tea and snack in the Community House.”
Local bee experts will demonstrate honey extraction and there will be a demonstration hive as well. “You can see bees doing things bees do,” O’Connell added. “It’s fascinating for kids of all ages. We are happy to have tree guru Peter Michaud to give a refresher course on tree pruning.”
A new feature this year encourages people to bring some scionwood, a piece of this year’s growth from your favourite apple tree. That will be used to make a Frankenrtree by bud grafting to a small tree, which will be planted in Metchosin. “It will be crazy in that slow-motion way that growing fruit trees always is,” O’Connell added with a laugh. “A great hands-on fair celebrating the best of Metchosin’s fall harvest.”
The Apple-Bee Festival takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in and on the grounds of the Metchosin Community House at 4430 Happy Valley Rd., deep in the heart of downtown Metchosin.