It’s time to talk about the details of the upcoming Apple Palooza!  It’s just a few weeks away!
When?  Saturday, October 25th
Where?  Lapacek’s Orchard

What?

Apple Pie Contest

The Apple Pie Contest is an event that is here to stay at Lapacek’s Orchard. 

2013 Pie Winner - Josie Tollaksen with her ‘Apple Pie for your Soul’!


2012 Pie Winner – Brenda Endres
2011 Apple Pie Winner – Melissa Walsh
The judges will decide winners for – Best Pie Overall and three runner ups, Most Creative Pie, and Prettiest Pie.  The entire event is meant to be fun so I hope you decide to ‘throw your pie’ in the ring and give it a go!
If you are interested in baking a pie for the contest please send me an email: {lapaceksorchard at gmail dot com} with your name and pie baking story (if you have one – if you don’t have a story, no worries). Plan on arriving at the orchard by 12:45pm with your pie (earlier than that is just fine too …we open at 9 and I can make arrangements with you if you need earlier than that). Pie viewing and photo’s will take place at 1:00pm and judging will start at 1:30pm.

Once judging is complete - I'm guessing around 2:30/3:00ish... we'll be cutting all the pies up into slices and selling them for $1 a slice.  100% of the money made from the apple pie slice sales will go to the PAD Parent Group of the Poynette School District. Food Fight Restaurant Group is once again sponsoring our Pie Contest – a free pie every month for a year from Monty’s Blue Plate Diner!!! 

Old-Fashioned Cider Pressing Demo:

“Come Squeeze Our Apples”

Jared will be demonstrating how we used to press our apples to make cider with an old fashioned wood cider press. This demo will take place at 1:15 and will take approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

Carved Pumpkin Contest

During the first Apple-Palooza, in 2011, we discovered that there’s quite a bit of standing around while the pies get judged.  We’re going to have a ‘Carved Pumpkin Contest’.  People of all ages can bring their carved pumpkin – anytime before 12:45, put it on display and then we’ll all walk by and vote for our personal favorite!  I’ll have a prize for the best carved pumpkin – still to be determined. 

Vendors!

NEW this year!  My friend Naomi of the Glitter Workshop has organized it so some fabulous folks selling handmade crafts and vintage finds are set up during Apple Palooza!  There’s always a lot of milling about as pie judging is happening so now you’ll all have an opportunity to shop at some great booths!  Here’s a list  of folks you can expect to visit during Apple Palooza!

• The Glitter Workshop 
• Madre Yerba
• Soul Harbor Jewelry
• Maggs Creations
• Usborne Books & More
• FeemeKnit
• Nikita ernst
• Lady Bird
• Jennifer Ybarra
• Blue Canoe Salvage
• Courtney Henson
• Sol Creations

Hard Cider Info Booth

Our good friend Jay Walters will have a booth set up from NOON to 3pm to talk about and answer your questions on how to make hard cider.  Jay has been doing this for years and we have helped drink and enjoy many of his products for years - this guy knows what he's talking about!
Below is a rough itinerary for Apple-Palooza.  I will update it as necessary so keep an eye on the blog for any changes or additions to the day that may occur.

Preliminary ITINERARY:

9:00—Store Opens for Business & Vendors are set up
12:00 - Hard Cider Info Booth Open until 3
12:45—Deadline for Contest Pies & Carved Pumpkins to be Delivered and Viewing of the Apple Pies
1:00—Apple Pie Contest Judging Starts
1:00 – Voting starts for the Carved Pumpkins -
1:15—Old Fashion Cider Pressing Demo
3:00 - Hard Cider Info Booth Closes
3:00-4:00* – Pie and Pumpkin winners are announced *this will happen as soon as the judging is finished and everything is tallied up.  Once the winners have been announced – pie slices will be sold for $1/slice with proceeds going to the Poynette School Parent Club. 
5:00 – Vendors head home
6:00—Store Closes

I’ll be posting about this years pie judges soon too so stay tuned!  As we get closer to the 25th I’ll post a ‘Final Schedule/Itinerary’ for the big day!  I hope you’re as excited as I am!

There are so many opportunities for you to have a fun at the orchard on this day!  I can’t wait!  I have an event set up on Facebook so be sure to share with your friends/family about this great FREE event too!