St. George Apple Fest was awarded a spot on the 2025 Top 100 Festival and Events list on Wednesday, February 26, 2025.
The list, which is put together by Festival and Events Ontario (FEO), represents the top 100 festivals and events held throughout every corner of the province. Submissions are typically received for consideration in the fall and judged by an independent panel of judges.
This year marks the tenth time the festival has been included on the list, having only missed one year during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jean Tucker, Apple Fest’s Festival Coordinator said it was “pretty awesome” to see that they made the list again.
When asked what separates Apple Fest from other events, Tucker said there were a few things that made it so special.
“To start, I think we fit into a niche market because there’s no gate admission so we’re free to attend, but also, I think it’s just the atmosphere of being an open street festival,” she said. “The committee works so hard to make sure everybody has a good time and that we have a lot of activities going on for people of all ages, so I think that’s a big part of it. As well, not that it’s a requirement for the award, but our attendance records are another thing. Considering we’re such a small area and we can bring in about ten-times our population, it’s pretty spectacular.”
Tucker also added that the event has a knack for showcasing and bringing the overall community together in one spot; something the committee couldn’t pull off without the help of their dedicated volunteers.
“I think getting on this list really just says a lot about our volunteers and our committee,” she said. “We work all year long to organize Apple Fest and getting on this list and having that award is really a testament to all that work.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
