Franklin County Warms-up Autumn In New England With Its Annual Ciderday Festival

Franklin County, MA, August 16, 2004 - Take a minute and let the memory of the savory, spicy scent of warm apple cider instill Autumn into your mind. Picture the warm colors of apple red, pumpkin orange, and sunshine yellow as the leaves turn along country roads. Autumn is a special time in Franklin County and the chief destination for apple lovers, cider makers, orchardists, and families. On November 6-7, they will all come together to celebrate a New England tradition at the 10th Annual CiderDay Festival in Franklin County, Massachusetts.

Apple adventures abound on this November weekend as visitors are invited to engage in discussions, seminars, and tastings where they will learn about ciders, apples and cheese. The weekend offers activities for the entire family, mostly free of charge.

The Apple Festival in New Salem kicks off CiderDay at 10 a.m. on Saturday with tasty assorted European and American desserts, hot squash cider soup, caramel apples and more delectable treats. Throughout the weekend, visitors are encouraged to walk along the scenic rivers and rolling hills of Franklin County and to partake in captivating orchard tours at various locations. Here, guests can explore and learn how fresh apples are pressed into delicious cider. Additionally, the festival features educational workshops in pruning and grafting for hard cider producers, orchardists and apple enthusiasts.

Each day guests can enjoy samplings of heirloom apples, a variety of cheeses and hard cider at the West County Winery and the Brick Meeting House. Saturday, the Brick Meeting House offers guests the opportunity to attend an extensive program of hard cider tasting, both home-made and artisanal.

Deerfield Inn's Apple Festival features chef demos, delicious apple and cider treats and fun apple games for the children. A special tasting event of hard cider and cheeses led by Matthew Rubiner, sponsored by Slow Foods, CISA and the FCCC will also be held.

As part of the CiderDay activities, visitors have the opportunity to feast on home-made apple crisp, prepared by the Colrain Historic Society at the Brick Meeting House, while admiring American paintings, antiques and theater memorabilia at the G. William Pitt House on Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.


The Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum will also be offering trolley rides on the restored trolley car No. 10, the same car that carried cider, apples and vinegar across the Bridge of Flowers, connecting Colrain and Shelburne Falls.

"CiderDay is a county-wide event that is enjoyable for all ages. The festival provides visitors the opportunity to admire our beautiful orchards and to meet and learn from seasoned cider makers and skilled orchardists," said Ann Hamilton, president of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce.

The West County Winery began Cider Day in 1994 to celebrate Franklin Countys traditions of apples and hard cider. The event has evolved, gaining popularity within the county and attracting tourists throughout and beyond the New England region. Today it is 'THE' New England event of the season.

About Franklin County
Franklin County in Western Massachusetts is a two-hour drive from Boston or Providence, a three-hour drive from Manhattan and a one-hour drive from Hartford. This area attracts visitors to the villages of Shelburne Falls and Northampton (ranked #1 out of 100 best small art towns in America) for gallery tours of local artists, antique shopping, fine dining and theatre performances. Many also are drawn to the original charm of Historic Deerfield, where visitors can experience the 18th and 19th century by touring many museum houses. To learn more about other activities in Franklin County, contact the Chamber of Commerce at (413) 773-5463 or visit www.franklincc.org. Additional information can be obtained from the Franklin County Visitors Information Center at (413) 773