Apple Festival

If we were to ask you what Ben Davis, a Bloody Butcher and Chips all had in common, would you be able to tell us?

They are, in fact, all varieties of apple!

From William Tell, Sir Isaac Newton and Granny Smith to Dai Chef’s cookery demonstrations and a cider apple press it can only mean one thing, it’s time for Erddig’s annual Apple Festival.

Now in its eighteenth year the festival returns on 4 and 5 October bringing you a jam packed weekend with a difference - everything on display is in someway linked to the apple from basket weaving, crafts, food, music, dancing and strange scientific demonstrations with the fruit - did you know apples could conduct electricity?

Perhaps one of the most popular features of the event is the cider apple press. Tudor Williams, Visitor Services Coordinator at Erddig said:


'We have a cider press which will be taking the apples grown in Erddig’s own orchards, of which there are over 100 varieties, and crushing them down ready for making cider. The fermentation period for the drink is four months but those wishing to sample the brew needn’t worry as we’ve plenty prepared earlier

The National Trust property, just outside of Wrexham, is inviting visitors to bring an apple along from their gardens or orchards which will be identified by experts throughout the duration of the festival. The big juicy apple that we all know and love today was first cultivated by the Romans over 2000 years ago and with the ancient city of Chester only 12 miles from the event, organisers are hoping for some interesting discoveries.


'There are 32 different varieties of apple specific to Cheshire alone which, due to sheer geography, must have some Roman influence within them. It’s not only this; a few years ago the Berkeley Pippin apple was thought to be extinct until identified at a similar apple day, which shows why people should bring their apples along for identification just in case!'
said Tudor.

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‘So What Now’ Jazz Band will be performing, along with Morris Dancers, Appalachian dancers, art, crafts, foods, apple peeling competitions, apple and spoon race, cider sales and (most importantly!) cider sampling and cookery demonstrations with the region’s favourite chef Dai Davies, who has cooked for a number of celebrities including Pavarotti! Erddig will have an apple display on show at the event; did you know that Erddig grows over 100 different varieties of apple?


The event itself has now become one of the most popular weekends in North Wales’ activities diary. The event is held on 4 and 5 October from 11am until 5pm and normal admission price to the property applies.

2 miles S of Wrexham, signposted A525 Whitchurch road, or A483,A51 Oswestry road, 16 miles S of Chester.