Apple Butter Festival at Historic Los Rios Rancho

Event Details

Rileys at Los Rios Rancho pays tribute to tradition with its annual Apple Butter Festival Thanksgiving weekend.

Pioneer families made a custom of gathering in late fall to cook up apple butter from the last of the season's crop. It was a practical way to preserve the apples throughout the year and a pleasurable way to promote community spirit.

Families are invited to come up and share in this fine old tradition, which includes a hands-on demonstration of apple butter making the old-time (and slow!) way - outdoors in a big copper kettle. Guests can learn how to "start the snits" and "add the money," plus enjoy pioneer crafts and games, music, carriage rides, and lots more. Chuckwagons will compete for the best recipe using the fresh-made apple butter; visitors are invited to sample and vote on Sunday.

Events also include an old-fashioned hoedown Saturday night, featuring traditional dances and music by the Riley's Mountaineer Band.

The Festival is 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day.