The 2026 Apple Festival will be presented by the Hay Creek Valley Historical Association (HCVHA) at Historic Joanna Furnace on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sunday, Oct. 11, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature apple-themed foods, family activities and a flea and craft market. Admission is free and open to the public.

"What sort of happened is that one of our first years at Joanna Furnace when we had our Hay Creek Festival, we had actually had a rainout," said Mark Zerr, executive director of the Hay Creek Valley Historical Association (HCVHA). "We had all these supplies left, so one of our founding members said that we should start an apple festival."

An apple pancake breakfast will be served in the mule stable until 11 a.m. on both days. The breakfast menu will include all-you-can-eat apple pancakes, plus each patron will be served a piece of country sausage with juice or coffee.

Apple favorites that will be served throughout the weekend will include apple dumplings, apple pies, apple crisp, apple bread, homemade caramel apples with various toppings and apple fritters. Many apples froze in the region this year, so certain apple dishes will be limited in quantity.

New for this year, the HCVHA will have a Hay Creek pint glass for sale, which comes with a free cup of fresh-pressed apple cider.

"It's a really nice glass," Zerr said. "It's full-color, and it has an old-fashioned picture of an apple press on it with a man standing there pressing apples."

The 19th-century Joanna Furnace apple cider press will operate each day with continuous demonstrations. Freshly pressed cider by the cup and by the half-gallon will be available to take home.

Mabel's Iron-Kettle Soups, cooked over actual open fires, will also be featured. Varieties will include chicken corn noodle, beef vegetable and ham and bean with rivels.

"They are very, very popular," Zerr said. "Our volunteers this year cut over 1,600 ears of corn, fresh corn that is going into our soup."

In addition to the apple-related menu and soups, there will be chicken potpie, also available by the quart for taking home; pulled pork and chicken sandwiches; macaroni and cheese; chili; hamburgers; hot dogs; french fries; sausage sandwiches; and beverages, including soda, water and coffee. Wine and craft beer will also be available.

Boy Scouts from Troop 543 from Plowville will offer hamburgers and hot dogs, as well as egg and bacon breakfast sandwiches. Troop 241 from Alleghenyville will sell sausage sandwiches, and St. Paul's United Methodist Church from Geigertown will sell pulled pork and roast beef sandwiches. The Twin Valley Girl Scouts will also be making hamburgers and hot dogs.

An apple dessert contest will take place on Saturday. Categories will include cakes/breads, cookies, pies and miscellaneous desserts. The food items along with a recipe must be brought to the festival food court area between 8 and 9 a.m. Judging will take place at 10 a.m. After judging, leftover entries will be sold by the slice. Winners in each category will receive a cash prize plus two complimentary passes to the upcoming Christmas at Joanna event. A special youth category will also be available for young bakers under the age of 18. Details about the apple baking contest can be found at http://www.haycreek.org.

A flea market, featuring more than 150 vendors and more than a dozen crafters, will be open both days beginning at 7 a.m. Booths can be reserved and set up on Friday, Oct. 9, from noon to 5 p.m. or on Oct. 10 starting at 6 a.m.

The figure of 150 vendors is a drastic increase from last year's festival. "I don't know if it has to do with the economy, but people are looking to sell things and make a little bit more money," Zerr said.

Family activities throughout the weekend will start at 9 a.m. each day on Saturday and Sunday. Events will include scarecrow building, pumpkin painting, hayrides, face painting and rides on the Apple Barrel Express.

Historic Joanna Furnace is located at 1250 Furnace Road, Geigertown, just off Route 10. Parking will be available on-site for a donation. For more information, visit the previously mentioned website or http://www.facebook.com/historicjoannafurnace or call 610-286-0388.