Donnybrook Apple Festival this Saturday 10.00 am start
“On behalf of the committee and staff, we wish you a safe, healthy and happy Easter and hope you manage to get an opportunity to share time with your families and friends over the Easter break.”
This year its a new look for the historical Donnybrook Apple Festival with a street party format and free entry for all. The festival promises to entertain, delight and promote the produce and arts produced by the local community. For those who don't know, this event is rich in history starting way back when...
The first Donnybrook Apple Festival began on the Easter weekend in 1954 in Donnybrook and was the idea of Mr Allan Frost who wanted to see a South West Apple Festival to celebrate the thriving apple industry and to provide an attraction for the region. During the 50's and 60's the festival became well known for its Apple Queen competition, a prestigious opportunity for local ladies in the Donnybrook, Manjimup, Bridgetown, Mt Barker region to undertake important public relations for the apple industry in Asia and other overseas countries. To this day locals remember the Apple Queen's with many Aunties and Grandmothers winning the title.
The Donnybrook Apple Festival is embedded in the rich culture of the town with many fond memories of the festival including the squirrel dance, the tractor maypole show, the log chopping competition, apple packing competitions and the Grand Parade through the centre of town with colourful floats made by local businesses.
In more recent years the Apple Festival has been held every two years and whilst apples and pears are always a showcase of the festival it now includes more local produce and art, hence its theme "Donnybrook Harvest and Arts"
Pomewest on behalf of the local apple and pear growers are proud to be involved as event sponsors and contributors
We appreciate all the kind donations of several local growers in the community - we now have a full suite of apples and pears varieties to showcase at the Pomewest stand at this year's festival. To those businesses who donated - we can't thank you enough! Special thanks to Sam Licciardello of Orchard 1Sixty who is giving up his own time, to co-ordinate fruit deliveries and helping set up the site on Good Friday!
If you have a chance between picks come along and say Hi to Susie, Evelyn, Noelene, Sam and myself who will be manning the stand to promote the virtues of eating apples and pears as the pearfect fresh food snack. Pomewest are proud sponsors of this event, actively supporting local growers and the industry.