One of Vancouver’s favourite fall traditions is getting ready for another fruitful weekend.
The UBC Apple Festival returns to UBC Botanical Garden on Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18, celebrating its 35th anniversary with two days of apples, entertainment and family activities.
Running from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, the festival gives visitors an opportunity to taste and purchase more than 50 varieties of apples grown in British Columbia, including familiar favourites and harder-to-find varieties rarely seen in grocery stores.
Visitors can also shop for apple trees, meet local growers and experts, watch professional cooking demonstrations and explore displays highlighting the diversity of apples cultivated across the province.
Beyond the fruit, the festival will feature live entertainment, local vendors, food trucks, apple cider, pies and a children’s area with crafts, puppet shows and the event’s famously large leaf pile.
The annual celebration traces its roots to 1991, when Friends of the Garden members Anne Gartshore and Margaret Charlton created an event intended to introduce the public to a broader range of apple varieties while raising money for UBC Botanical Garden.
Today, the volunteer-organized festival remains an important fundraiser. Proceeds directly support education, research and conservation at the Garden.
The event takes place rain or shine at UBC Botanical Garden, located at 6804 SW Marine Drive. Admission is free for children seven and younger, although a complimentary ticket must still be reserved for each child.
Early-bird tickets are available through September 30. Separate tickets may be required for the popular Tasting Tent.
