- Historic Bethlehem Museum and Sites is hosting the Apple Days festival
- It runs until 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday
- It features live music and an Apple Brewery Tent
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Lovers of apples and history gathered at the Burnside Planation Saturday for the 10th annual Apple Days Festival.
The festival runs until 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. There's also a Market To Go.
The festival is presented by the Historic Bethlehem Museum and Sites, a nonprofit that works to preserve the history of the city since its founding by the Moravians in 1741. The event featured live music, pony rides and an Apple Brewery Tent. Admission is $12 for adults and $5 for children when ordering online. The Brewery Tent is $25 and includes four tastings and a tasting glass.
"We're honoring him by brewing beer the way that he used to brew it, no plumbing, hand transfer of all the liquids."Craig Larimer, director of marketing for Historic Bethlehem Museum and Sites
Craig Larimer, Historic Bethlehem's director of marketing, was at the festival dressed as Johann Sebastian Goundie, Bethlehem's first commercial brewer.
"We're honoring him by brewing beer the way that he used to brew it, no plumbing, hand transfer of all the liquids," he said. "It's a lot of fun. You know, we get friends dressed up and some of us really know what we're doing. Some of us are learning how to brew, but it's a fun thing to do and to talk about."
Larimer said brewing the beer is a two-week process, which includes starting with boiling water in a 30-gallon copper kettle. The hot water is combined with barley and a sweet liquid called wort is extracted. That is boiled again, hops are introduced, the mixture is cooled and yeast is added.
Festival visitors could also see people in historical garb making apple cider or teaching about early life on the plantation. The celebration also includes tours of the Colonial barn and garden, baking contests and games.
Schulyer Evans, a museum employee, was educating eventgoers about a horsepower wheel, which he said would have been able to power all of the farm equipment at the Burnside Plantation. He said the wheel was found in upstate New York.
"We're very lucky to have this machine," he said. "It's one of two left like it in North America that are authentic."
Miriam Herron, an eight-year-old from Bath, was feeding goats in the petting zoo area. She said the animals were hands down the best part of the festival.
"The ponies," she said. "And these little guys right here."
