HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The North Carolina Apple Festival is right around the corner. The celebration will be held Sept. 4-7 in downtown Hendersonville.

The annual festival brings all things apples to the streets of Hendersonville – apple cider, candy apples, apple donuts and carts of locally-picked apples – as well as vendors, rides, food trucks and a parade.

When is the North Carolina Apple Festival?

The festival will be held daily from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 4, to Sunday, Sept. 6.

The opening ceremony for the festival will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 4, at the Henderson County Courthouse.

On Monday, Sept. 7, the festival will begin at 10 a.m. and run until the conclusion of the King Apple Parade, which will begin in downtown Hendersonville at 2:30 p.m.

The opening ceremony of the Hendersonville Apple Festival will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, Sept. 4, at the Henderson County Courthouse.

Parking and street closures

Main Street in Hendersonville will be closed to traffic between Caswell Street and 7th Avenue beginning at 2 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 3, and extending to Monday, Sept. 7, for parade and festival clean-up.

Parking not be available inside of the cordoned-off festival area, but can be found in city surface lots and the 5th Avenue West parking deck. The parking deck will operate on a card-only $10 daily fee during the festival.

Handicapped parking will be available Sept. 5-7 at Hendersonville City Hall, 160 6th Avenue East. More information about City of Hendersonville parking can be found at www.hvlnc.gov/parking.

Bicycle parking will be available Sept. 4-7 at the end of Main Street, managed by Blue Ridge Bicycle Club, Bike-Walk HVL and iDaph events for a fee. Bikes, skateboards and other vehicles are not permitted inside of the festival boundaries.

Other privately-owned parking lots may be available nearby, though they may charge for parking.

During the King Apple Parade, motorists traveling southbound on U.S. 25 will be diverted to Fleming Street for Highway 64 West and Church Street connection. Westbound motorists on Highway 64 will be diverted to 7th Avenue and Maple Street, or Locust Street and North Main Street.

Immediately before the parade, South Main Street will close for parade unloading.

Music and entertainment schedule

There will be live music and other entertainment held throughout the festival on the stage in front of the Henderson County Courthouse at 1 Historic Courthouse Square.

Friday, Sept. 4

  • 10:30 a.m.: Opening ceremonies
  • 12:00 p.m. Apple recipe contest winners
  • 1:30 p.m.: Jonah Riddle and Carolina Express
  • 2:30 p.m.: Mike Klee Magic
  • 3:00 p.m.: Battle of the Badges Pie Eating Contest
  • 3:30 p.m.: Mike Klee Magic 
  • 3:40 p.m.: Hendersonville High School Orchestra
  • 4:20 p.m.: Mike Klee Magic
  • 4:30 p.m.: Art of Dance
  • 5:15 p.m.: Flat Rock Playhouse Jr. Rock Out!
  • 6:00 p.m.: Jack Roper Magic
  • 6:30-8:30 p.m: Buddy K Big Band

Saturday, Sept. 5

  • 9:45 a.m.: Pat’s School of Dance
  • 10:45 a.m.: Mike Klee Magic 
  • 11:00 a.m.:  The Stipe Brothers, Dan & Joel
  • 12:00 p.m.: Mike Klee Magic 
  • 12:30 p.m.: The Carolina Rebels Bluegrass Band
  • 1:30 p.m.: Mike Klee Magic 
  • 2:00 p.m.: Elvis impersonator
  • 3:00 p.m.: Mike Klee Magic 
  • 3:30 p.m.: Group Project
  • 4:30 p.m.: Mike Klee Magic 
  • 5:30-8:30 p.m: The Big Throwback with Blake Ellege

Sunday, Sept. 6

  • 12:45 p.m.: Releve Performing Art Center
  • 1:45 p.m.: Mike Klee Magic 
  • 2:00 p.m.:  Mariachi Band & Folkloric Dancers – Las Flores
  • 3:00 p.m.: Mike Klee Magic
  • 3:20 p.m.:  Green Valley Cloggers, with audience particpation at 3:50 p.m.
  • 4:00 p.m.: Free Flow Band
  • 5:30 to 8:30 p.m: The Mighty Kicks

For more about vendors, festival events and other information, visit www.ncapplefestival.org.