Almost everyone loves the annual LaFayette Apple Festival. Almost no one loves the annual LaFayette Apple Festival traffic jam.
This year, fest organizers have worked with the State Police and the state Department of Transportation to develop a new traffic and parking plan for what is typically one of the best-attended local festivals of the year.
This year's fest is 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the festival grounds on Rowland Road, just off Route 20 about 2.5 miles west of the Interstate 81 LaFayette exit. Admission is $5 per person (kids 12 and under free).
Last year, about 35,000 to 40,000 people attended the fest in gorgeous weather.
"We know people enjoy the fest but we really don't want people saying, "I'd like to go but I don't want to deal with that traffic,' " said Dave Knapp, a member of the festival board.
The major change this year is that authorities will open a shoulder on Route 20 to traffic, allowing two lanes to approach the festival from the east (from I-81). Also, a previously blocked off side road (Field Lane) will be open, allowing traffic to enter the parking area from two directions. There will be plenty of signs and police to direct traffic.
"The problem has never been the parking itself -- we have plenty of space and we've never actually filled up," Knapp said. "The problem is traffic backing up on (Route) 20, and how quickly we can move them onto the grounds. This increases our capacity coming down Route 20 and our ability to shoot them in."
Fest officials continue to encourage people to try less-travelled routes: One way is to approach on Route 20 from the west, and another is to go to the Tully exit and approach along Route 11A or Tully Farms Road from the south.
Free parking shuttle trolleys will take people from the parking lots to festival grounds, with seating priority given to senior citizens and those needing extra assistance.
On the festival grounds itself, the space for vendors this year has also been expanded and stretched out to relieve congestion, Knapp said. Organizers expect to have about 500 juried crafters on site.
Other highlights:
• A "bumper crop" of apples and ciders for sample and sale.
• Food, provided by 15 community and church groups, includes everything from hamburgers and sausage sandwiches to chicken spiedies, meatball subs, loaded baked potatoes and walking tacos. And, of course, everything apple: Cider, donuts, pies, fritters, turnovers, dumplings etc.
• Midway carnival rides.
• Scarecrow Contest (judging at noon Saturday).
• Apple Festival Queen and King contest, with judging at 7 p.m. Saturday at LaFayette High School.
• Apple pancake breakfasts begin both days at 7 a.m.
• Pony rides
• Continuous live free entertainment
• The Apple Run on Sunday -- a fun run, a 5K and and a 15K. Race day registration is 7:30 a.m.
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