What has come to be one of the West End’s most cherished celebrations, the Heritage Festival, in its eighth year, is coming right up on Oct. 5. Melanie Eggers, co-founder of the Apple Core Project, who helps organize the event, is grateful to the ladies of the Rimrocker Historical Society, the group that’s been instrumental to the Heritage Festival since its inception.
Eggers agreed the festival might seem like the same old drill — with apple varieties on display, ciders, music, vendors with food and crafts — but she said every year feels unique, depending on what’s been added in.
Yes, the Apple Core Project will have tables displaying local heirloom apples that Eggers and others have recently collected. The Saxtons, Jay and Dana, have been helping a lot this year, and they’ll be in charge of the hard cider tasting.
James Thorneycroft will assume his usual post; with Scott Hodges, he’ll man the press and crank out fresh apple cider, old-fashioned style.
Music continues, and Dana Saxton helped secure a new band from Paonia called The Grand Avenue Ramblers, who will open the festival. The Foggy Memory Boys, a band that has actually played with the world-class mandolin musician Sam Bush, will also perform. Eggers told the Forum she expects there will be dancing.
Food will be in abundance with Wild Gal’s Market on site, along with Flying Bear Pizzeria and Saucy Mama’s, as well as Dark Sky Pie, of Norwood. Dani Reyes-Acosta will also be doing her pop-up taco stand. And, there will be fresh flowers from Allen Farms West; apple pies from Bake, Rattle and Roll; heirloom apple trees for sale; and various crafts, including Johnny Green’s popular apple crates.
Yvette Henson, who’s quietly retiring from the Colorado State University-Extension Office after years of leading the nonprofit, will hold what could be her last heirloom veggie display. Sam Andrews, of the FRESH Foundation, will have some fresh produce for sale too. And, there will be a seed exchange with the San Juan Garden Club, something new this year.
Katey Herland's agriculture and home economics students, of Nucla, will be doing a cake walk, and the owners of Split Rock Printworks are printing postcards on site for folks to send out, right from the Heritage Festival.
The West End Dark Sky Advocates will have a booth, and there will again be kids face-painting.
Eggers said Ed Herrera, a Naturita native now living in Arizona, will open the Hat Hive. Herrera, with wife Deseree, will have a station for folks to design their own hats.
The Heritage Festival celebration starts at 11 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m. It all happens in the Nucla Town Park.
“I am very pleased to say we made it seven years, and this will be our eighth-annual Heritage Festival,” Eggers said last Friday. “I feel it is important for the community to come together every year to celebrate our bountiful harvest. Also, these gatherings are modern-day versions of what the homesteaders used to do … celebrate, eat food, play music, dance and raise a glass to toast to our harvest season."
Official sponsors of the Heritage Festival are Alpine Bank, Citizens State Bank, Colorado Housing Authority, Telluride Foundation, Rimrocker Historical Society, San Miguel Power Association and Basin Electric.
Anyone who’d like to donate apples for the festival pressing, or showcase their apples for the apple display, should reach out to Eggers in advance at 970-708-3972.
