Apple festival begins Sept. 19

HARTFORD -- Hundreds are expected to enjoy fruit and celebrate the season at the 40th Annual Hartford Apple Festival in the township's main square.
The weekend-long event begins Sept. 19 with the selection of a queen at 7 p.m., followed by a dance in the nearby grade school gym, officials say.
Rides, provided by Lisco Amusement, will also open Sept. 19, at 6 p.m., and run through the weekend.
The midway will be right at the square, at the intersection of state routes 7 and 305.
On Saturday, the celebration will continue with a 5K run east on Route 305 at 9 a.m.
Children's activities that day include a bicycle parade at 10:30 a.m., a pet parade at 11 a.m. and games starting at 11:30 a.m. A magician will perform at 2 p.m.
Apple-pie bakers, sewers, horticulturists and flower arrangers can drop off their handiwork between 10 a.m. and noon for judging later in the day.
Other events
A street parade, organized by the fire department, will be held at 6 p.m., said Betty Smith, a member of the festival committee.
There will be a second dance, this one outside on the festival grounds, from 8 to 11 p.m.
Sunday, the final day of the festival, will feature a pie eating contest at 1 p.m., an apple pealing contest at 2 p.m. and amateur arm wrestling at 3:30 p.m. Arm wrestlers can register from 1 to 3 p.m.
There will also be a classic car cruise-in from 2 to 6 p.m. at Hartford Methodist Church on the last day of the festival, a mini-tractor pull at 1:30 p.m. and a performance by the Castle Country Cloggers at 2:30 p.m.