Batesville's Applefest is this weekend at Liberty Park

Festival to honor longtime chairperson

(BATESVILLE, Ind.) -- The Batesville Kiwanis will host the 33rd annual Applefest this weekend.

The festival features artisans along with unique crafts and food booths, business expos, -plus entertainment for the entire family.

There are new additions to Applefest this year including Margaret Mary Health Foundation’s Suicide Prevention and Awareness 5K and the Kids Discovery Factory’s "Fastest Kid in Town” races at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.

"Live entertainment will include Batesville’s Eureka Band performing at 11:00 and Marisa Fullenkamp at 1:00 on Saturday and Deno Koumoutsos entertaining at 11:00 on Sunday," organizers said.

D&B Martial Arts will offer demonstrations at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Miss Lizzy’s Performing Arts Academy will feature dancers at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.

The Batesville Memorial Public Library will host children’s activities all day on Saturday while

Kids Discovery Factory hosts activities on Sunday.

The Kiwanis Trackless Train Ride will roll through the scenic park both days and Kids’ Bounce Houses will be on-site while Kiwanis offer a wide variety of sandwiches and refreshments with apple desserts offered throughout the park.

The Villa Orchard will offer a variety of apples along with their famous cider slushies.

“The Kiwanis members are changing things up a bit as we will be offering hourly Split-the-Pot Raffles which replace our former cash raffle drawing held in December. In addition, the Batesville Beautification League will also offer raffle tickets with their drawing being held Sunday afternoon," said past president, Paul Ketcham.

With the new additions to Saturday’s line-up, the AppleFest Royalty Pageant has been moved

to 1:00 on Sunday and will feature Kindergarten and second grade candidates from Batesville

Primary and St. Louis schools vying for the titles of Mister and Miss Apple Bud and Mister and

Miss Apple Blossom.

For the past 20 years festival vendors and guests have come to know long-time AppleFest

chairperson, Jay Reichmuth who passed away in July leaving the future of the festival in

jeopardy.

Kiwanis President, Ed Krause noted, “Just as Jay would have wanted, his Kiwanis

friends have stepped up to ensure that AppleFest continues, and to honor Jay’s memory, we will name him the 2023 AppleFest King during the pageant in the pavilion on Sunday.”