Apple & Cider Festival

Apple & Cider Festival

We’re kicking off our 2026 season by celebrating the apple harvest and the grand finale of summer with our Apple & Cider Festival, running September 4th through September 30th!

Savor the taste of the season with freshly pressed apple cider made from apples grown right here in our orchard—sweet cider for everyone, and hard cider for guests 21+. Enjoy live festival entertainment, acres of blooming sunflowers, free photo ops, butterfly releases, flower picking, and limited-time food specials. Don’t miss the magic of a guided hard cider tasting tour at sunset in our apple orchard—an experience as golden as autumn itself.

Labor Day Weekend

  • September 4th to September 7th

Fall magic begins Opening Weekend at Vala’s Pumpkin Patch!
Be the first to ride the brand-new Apple Tree Swing, pick fresh apples, and save 50% on Labor Day weekend tickets when you buy online.

FREE Butterfly Releases

  • Sundays, September 13th, 20th & 27th

Watch wonder take flight! We’ll release 100 butterflies into the sunflower field four times a day:

TIMES: 10am, 11am, 12pm & 1pm
LOCATION: Sunflower Field (In Cider Mill Area)

Bluegrass & BBQ Weekend

  • September 12th, 19th & 26th

Good food and foot-stompin’ tunes! Join us at Ethan’s Applewood Smokehouse for Vala’s signature BBQ and a weekend of down-home Bluegrass from top local bands.

Apple Orchard Events

Our special orchard events are magical, intimate experiences:

    • Friday Sept 11th
    • Saturday Sept 12th
    • Sunday Sept 13th
    • Friday Sept 18th
    • Saturday Sept 19th
    • Sunday Sept 20th
    • Friday Sept 25th
    • Saturday Sept 26th
    • Sunday Sept 27th
    • Friday Oct 2nd
    • Saturday Oct 3rd
    • Sunday Oct 4th

  • Arrive anytime between 5:45–6:45 PM. Hayracks depart from the U-Pick Apple Shed every 20 minutes. The experience is self-paced and typically lasts 1½–2 hours. Once you’ve finished your tasting, hayracks depart periodically to bring you back to the main farm — with the last rack departing at 8:30 PM.

  • Vala’s Apple Orchard, departing from the U-Pick Apple Shed (near the Cider Mill). Please wear comfortable shoes — the U-Pick Apple Shed is on the far side of the farm from the Admissions entrance.

Friday Fireworks

  • September 4th, 11th, 18th, & 25th

  • Starts at 9:00pm

Light up your Friday nights with fireworks across the farm! Best views from the Cider Mill Area, Freya’s Chicken Yard, or anywhere under the stars at Vala’s.

Apple & Cider Specials

Cider Specials

  • Honeycrisp Sweet Cider

  • Honeycrisp Hard Cider

  • Summer Peach Hard Cider

  • Cider Slushie Float (Cider Mill)

Pie Specials

  • Aug. 29th: Honeycrisp Apple Pie

  • Sept. 5th: Strawberry Rhubarb

  • Sept. 12th: Lemon Walnut

  • Sept. 19th: Chocolate Turtle Pie

  • Sept. 26th: Blueberry Streusel

Specials To-Go
(@ Exit Bakery)

  • Candied Apples

  • Apple Cinnamon Muffins

  • Salted Caramel Apple Pies

  • Frozen Apple Pies To-Go

Apple & Cider Food Passport

  • Choose 5 tastes of Vala’s from 19 locations across the farm! New this year, we’re featuring festival specials, along with all the classic favorites.

More Food Specials

  • Blueberry Donuts (Harvest Barn)

  • Strawberry Shortcake Funnel Cake (Legs & Cakes)

  • Birthday Cake Sundae (Dairy Barn)

  • Sweet Potato Tots (Town Square Tots)

  • Sour Apple Kettle Corn (Grandpa’s Kettle Corn)

  • Cider Slush with Strawberry Cold Foam (Cider Mill)
  • Cinnamon Bread with Apple Topping (Cider Mill)

  • Dole Whip Strawberry Sundae (Pirate’s Cove)