Vermont Apple Festival & Craft Show
Fall festival · Springfield · Vermont
A one-day, old-fashioned celebration of Vermont's apple harvest at Riverside Middle School, with a pie contest, more than sixty craft and food vendors, a farmers market, and live music on an outdoor dance floor. Kids race in the Fastest Kid in Town contest and try an obstacle course with the county sheriff's department.
Don’t miss
Plan your visit
Saturday, October 10, 2026, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine
Dates from the official announcement — always confirm before you go.
Color nearby peaks: October 11–October 15
Color builds from September 28 · mostly bare by November 3
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at Vermont Apple Festival & Craft Show’s own coordinates and elevation (157 m) rather than a regional average. Estimates, not promises — check locally before you plan a trip around it.
Vermont Apple Festival & Craft Show on the map
More things to do in Vermont
Smugglers' Notch (Vermont Route 108)
Scenic drivePeak October 9
Route 108 squeezes through Vermont's most dramatic mountain pass, threading hairpin turns beneath 1,000-foot cliffs between Mount Mansfield and Sterling Peak. The 3.5-mile stretch between Stowe and Jeffersonville closes each winter and peaks with maple and birch color in early-to-mid October.
Don’t miss: Hairpin turns beneath Mount Mansfield · Height-of-land parking area for short hikes · Closes mid-October to mid-May
Mount Philo State Park
State parkPeak October 12
Vermont's first state park (1924) tops out at just 968 feet, but a short auto road or one-mile trail delivers an outsized payoff: a sweeping view over the Champlain Valley's turning maples to the lake and New York's Adirondacks beyond.
Don’t miss: Vermont's oldest state park · Short auto road to the summit · Views across Lake Champlain to the Adirondacks
Quechee Gorge
State parkPeak October 11
Known as Vermont's Little Grand Canyon, this 165-foot-deep gorge cut by the Ottauquechee River is spanned by a US Route 4 bridge with a pedestrian walkway, framed by red maples that make it one of the state's most-photographed fall stops.
Don’t miss: 165-foot gorge viewed from the Route 4 bridge · Trails down to the river · Adjacent campground and gift shops
Cold Hollow Cider Mill
Cider millColor nearby peaks October 11
Vermont's best-known cider mill has pressed apples on this Waterbury Center site since 1974, using a century-old rack-and-cloth press visible through viewing windows. The bakery's cider doughnuts and gallons of fresh sweet cider draw a steady line of leaf peepers off Route 100.
Don’t miss: Working rack-and-cloth cider press · Fresh cider doughnuts · Farm store with Vermont products
Frequently asked
- When is Vermont Apple Festival & Craft Show open in 2026?
- The 2026 season runs Oct 10 – Oct 11. Saturday, October 10, 2026, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. Dates can shift, so check the official site before you go.
- When does Vermont Apple Festival & Craft Show peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 11–October 15 (best estimate October 13). Color starts around September 28 and is mostly bare by November 3.
- What is Vermont Apple Festival & Craft Show best for?
- A classic small-town apple festival near the NH border.
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