There's No Place
Like Home!
MSAHF President Susan Snowden said the Board has been spending countless hours trying to find any and every possible workaround to ensure some of the community’s favorite MSAHF events can still occur, including adapting some in major ways in hopes of keeping some semblance of normalcy alive.
“Now, more than ever, we need to remember there’s no place like home, and it’s time to come back this fall, visit with friends and family,” Snowden said. “And, although it won’t be the traditional full compliment of events that we offer, we promise you are going to have some of your favorite events and maybe even, as we announce more things later in the summer, some new and exciting events that you can enjoy. We are telling people to make this their homecoming, because that is what this should be — the ultimate homecoming of our community coming together again. There’s no place like coming back home and celebrating the rich traditions that we have in the fall. And it’s our goal to provide a safe and fun venue for families and friends to be together.”
This year's festival will take place October 15, 16 & 17th, 2021. Stay tuned as we unveil all of the events and activities that will be a part of this 42nd year!
The Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival Board gathered recently for the annual announcement of Maid Elect and her court. This year, the festival chose to have a modified court of a Queen and two Maids. Board members had the difficult task of interviewing a wonderful and highly qualified group of young ladies. There were a total of 6 categories in which these young ladies were scored. Each candidate is scored on a point system of 1-10 in each category. After each board members scores are tabulated the highest and lowest scores are dropped. The scores are then tabulated. The candidate with the highest combined score will be Queen and the following two candidates with the next highest score will be Maids. Pictured is Maid Elect Morgan Fleming (left), with reigning Queen Pomona McKayla Dodson (right).
Meet the Court!
Sitting is Maid Elect Morgan Paige Fleming who will reign as Queen Pomona the forty second. Standing left to right are Maid Olivia Ryan Harman. and Maid Gabriella Marie Sergent.
The Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival, in its 42nd year, celebrates the apple industry, which is a valued part of the heritage of the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Held every third weekend in October, it has become a treasured homecoming with festivities spanning over four days.
In the fall of 1979, business and community leaders in the Eastern Panhandle came together with the intention of creating a “signature event” to include all five counties of the broader area, which would become a staple of the Mountain State’s culture.
From this initial idea, the Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival board set about organizing contests, entertainment and craft shows that showcased the apple orchard heritage of the area.
