Thursday, October 1, 2026
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Lincolnton, NC (WNN)- The Lincoln County Apple Festival returned to downtown Lincolnton on October 18 to celebrate its 53rd year. More than 250 vendors and local apple growers took part, drawing thousands of visitors to celebrate the area’s farming roots.
The Festival, geared toward families, was held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Main Street and included craft vendors, food trucks, live entertainment on two stages, and a farmers' market.
The Festival started in 1972 and was held at Boger City United Methodist Church. During that time, there were only about 300 people in attendance. It was one of the largest attended events in Lincoln County. Home Economics Agent Melinda Houser came up with the idea after seeing a successful strawberry festival in eastern North Carolina. She worked with Agricultural Extension Agent Howard Waynick and apple growers to create the Festival.
As the Lincolnton Apple Festival grew in popularity, the organizers had to find a bigger venue to accommodate the increasing number of attendees. In 1975, they decided to relocate the event to the West Lincoln High School.
By 1978, the Festival had gained even more recognition, prompting a move to Main Street. This new location featured around 30 booths and attracted approximately 8,000 visitors. That year also marked the introduction of the Apple Queen Pageant, where the Lincolnton Business and Professional Women's Club selected a queen to reign over the Festival.
The 2025 Miss Lincoln County Apple Queen taking a photo with a visitor. October 18th,2025
Lauren Ramsey (WNN)
The Lincoln County Apple Festival officially became a nonprofit organization in 1984, two years after the formation of its steering committee. A volunteer board of directors now oversees it, welcoming more than 25,000 attendees each year.
As visitors walked through town, there were many foods and products to see. Many, as you may have guessed, were inspired by apples. From Apple Cider Slushies to Fried Apple Pies and even Apple Pie Sundaes, the options were endless.
As you turn a corner, you could visit Burton Farms, a local family-owned general store. They had a variety of items such as a selection of apples, including Pink Lady, Evercrisp, and Cosmic Crisp, along with other fresh produce. They also sell honey as well as chocolate milk, which comes from Riverbend Creamery in Lincolnton.
Some of the apples outside of Burton Farms. October 18th,2025
Lauren Ramsey (WNN)
There was also apple-themed apparel, such as t-shirts, that visitors could buy to take home as a souvenir.
An apple themed shirt on display at the Lincoln County Apple Festival. October 18th,2025
Lauren Ramsey (WNN)
There were many things for visitors to see and do. Live music and entertainment went on throughout the day. Lincoln County EMS was on site, teaching visitors how to perform CPR, and the Sheriff's department had a dunk tank where kids could aim and dunk a police officer.
A child throwing a ball at the dunk tank hosted by the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office. October 18th,2025
Lauren Ramsey (WNN)
Law enforcement kept a close eye on things to make sure everyone stayed safe — including visible security presence and trained officers positioned on rooftops to monitor the crowd.
A sniper watching the festival from the top of a building. October 18th,2025
Lauren Ramsey (WNN)
Going down a row of people, one man in particular caught my eye. His name is Tom Brown. He is a retired chemical engineer from North Carolina, who is famously known as the "Apple Hunter. His passion has single-handedly rescued over 1,200 unique varieties of heritage apples from the brink of extinction!
Brown's journey began in the late 1990s when he learned that while America once grew over 14,000 varieties of apples, commercial farming had drastically reduced that to a handful—leaving thousands of ancient, uniquely flavored, and textured apples forgotten and lost in abandoned orchards across the Appalachian Mountains.
With his determination, Brown, along with his wife, Merrikay, turned retirement into a full-time detective mission! He has driven through seven states, going door-to-door and trying to find special apple trees in old, forgotten orchards. When he discovers a good tree, he takes small branches from it. Then he attaches these branches to other apple trees at his own orchard called Heritage Apples, where he now grows more than 700 unusual and lost types of apples.
A few of the many types of apples Tom Brown grows. October 18th,2025
Lauren Ramsey (WNN)
Brown's background as a chemical engineer has served him well, equipping him with the patience, research, and organizational skills required to track, identify, and catalogue each unique variety—ensuring their genetic heritage is saved for future generations to taste and enjoy.
In the end, this year's Apple Festival was very enjoyable, informative, and made safe thanks to Local Law Enforcement. There were many things to see and do, and a wide variety of foods for visitors to enjoy. There was no doubt that visitors walked away having learned something new while having fun.
If you'd like to learn more about the Lincoln County Apple Festival, you can visit their official website. Or view their official Facebook Page.
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