(Batesville, IN) – Batesville Kiwanis is thanking the community for making the 35th Annual Applefest a tremendous success last weekend.
Beautiful weather, large crowds and a record number of vendors filled Liberty Park both Saturday and Sunday.
Attendees enjoyed food, shopping, live entertainment, children’s activities and many of the traditions that have made Applefest a favorite fall event for 35 years.
“Applefest simply would not be possible without the many people and organizations who come together each year. Batesville Kiwanis sincerely thanks all of our volunteers, vendors, entertainers and sponsors who gave their time, talents and support to make the weekend possiblem” the club wrote in a statement. “Most importantly, thank you to everyone from Batesville and the surrounding communities who came out to enjoy Applefest and support Kiwanis.”
A special thank you is going to the Boy Scouts for helping safeguard Liberty Park throughout the weekend.
“We also greatly appreciate the City of Batesville Parks Department and the Batesville Beautification League for their hard work preparing Liberty Park and helping provide such a beautiful setting for Applefest,” Kiwanis said.
Sunday brought an exciting addition to this year’s festival when the Cincinnati Railway Experience arrived in Batesville with approximately 300 passengers aboard the Applefest Express.
Passengers traveled from Cincinnati and had several hours to enjoy Applefest, have lunch and experience Batesville.
Kiwanis members say it was thrilled to welcome so many visitors to the city and share the Applefest tradition with them.
Another highlight of Sunday was the annual Applefest Pageant.
Congratulations to the 2026 Applefest royalty:
King – Rick Allgeier
Queen – Wendy Eisert
Apple Bud – Silas Bryant
Apple Blossom – Bristol Goins
Apple Jack – Easton Strelink
Apple Dumpling – Za-Kari Reverman
In addition to Applefest being a weekend festival, it is Batesville Kiwanis’ largest fundraiser, helping the club continue supporting programs and projects that benefit children, families and the greater Batesville community throughout the year.
“After 35 years, Applefest continues to show what can happen when a community comes together. Thank you, Batesville, for another incredible Applefest. We couldn’t do it without you” said the Batesville Kiwanis Club.
