Apple Harvest Day 2022 in Dover: Here's what you need to know before you go
DOVER — A harbinger of autumn, Apple Harvest Day is upon us, set to take place Saturday, Oct. 1 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. downtown.
An estimated 60,000-plus people annually attend the festival, which is now in its 38th year. Large crowds are expected again this year as the festival will feature more thn 300 vendor booths, two food courts, performances and an expanded family entertainment area. New this year will be a family respite area, including a calming tent for those with sensory disorders, and a showcase featuring electric vehicles.
Festivities will kick off at the Rotary Arts Pavilion with an opening ceremony at 9 a.m. featuring the annual “first bite” ceremony and a performance by the Dover High School marching band.
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“Apple Harvest Day showcases Dover as an economically and culturally vibrant community,” said Margaret Joyce, president of the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce, which presents the annual fall festival.
Joyce credited First Seacoast Bank, the largest sponsor of the festival for many years, as well as many volunteers and parnters for making the event possible.
Apple Harvest Day 5K Road Race details
The Apple Harvest Day 5K Road Race will take place beginning at 8:30 a.m. on St. Thomas Street in Dover. The USATF-certified course will wind through downtown Dover and end back where it began. Miss Strafford County Olivia Fonseco will sing the national anthem before the race.
Cash prizes will be awarded to the top male and female finishers, as well as to the first Dover male and female runner to cross the finish line. Winners 14 and under age group will receive gift certificates to Lickee’s and Chewy’s Candies and Creamery.
After the race, each runner over the age of 21 will receive two complimentary pours of North Country Cider, with non-alcoholic apple cider available for minors.
New Hampshire Coffee Roasting Co. will be on hand before, during, and after the race distributing free cups of their small-batch coffee to participants and spectators.
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Visit dovernh.org/5k to register. Online registration will close Wednesday, Sept. 28. In-person registration will take place on race day starting at 7:30 a.m. in the Dover District Court parking lot. Registration is $30 for adult runners 21 and over and $20 for under 21 ($35 for 21-plus and $25 for under 21 after Sept. 28). Bib pickup will be on Friday, Sept. 30, from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce, 550 Central Ave., Dover. You can register for the race at the chamber during pickup on Friday as well.
Apple Harvest Day: Street closures and parking restrictions for the festival and 5K Road Race
New this year: An electric vehicle showcase
The electric vehicle showcase will take place from noon to 3 p.m. on St. Thomas Street, immediately following the Apple Harvest Day 5K.
The city of Dover’s Energy Commission is partnering with the chamber to present the event, which will have an array of electric vehicles, ranging from e-bikes to EV trucks and more.
EV dealers and owners will display vehicles and answer questions. EV experts from the Department of Environmental Services, Clean Energy NH, and a solar and home charging professional will participate, too. EV owners are invited to register to display their vehicles.
A family respite room offered
New this year to Apple Harvest Day is a family respite area. Sponsored by Rotary Club of Dover and located in the Cocheco Mill Courtyard, the space will include a lactation station, diaper changing area and calm room provided by Twenty-One Senses. Bathroom facilities will be 150 feet from the family respite area.
A calm room is a dedicated space, open to anyone, to help them reset and calm their nervous system from the possible sensory overload from the crowds, music and food smells. By visiting this welcoming space for a few minutes, an individual can reset their sensory system through hands-on calming activities, allowing them to return to the festival instead of going home.
In addition to the lactation tent and diaper station, Twenty-One Senses will have multiple sensory supports available within the calm space, such as alternative seating, balance boards, yoga mats, play tents, fidgets, playdoh, coloring books, chess and puzzles. Noise-canceling headphones and ear plugs will be available to purchase or borrow.
Dover 400 merchandise will be available
Volunteers from the Dover 400th Committee will be selling merchandise at Apple Harvest Day, including sweatshirts, T-shirts, hats, mugs, tote bags, and more. They will also be offering information about the upcoming Dover 400th year-long celebration in 2023, including the 400th New Year’s Eve Gala. For information, visit dover400.org.
Apple pie baking contest
Nothing says Apple Harvest Day like the Apple Pie Contest, continuing a decades-long tradition. Each year, amateur bakers submit their special recipes to be tasted and judged by the local “celebrities” and dignitaries. The contest will take place at 11 a.m. at the Rotary Arts Pavilion stage.
There will be awards given to first, second, and third place in two divisions: adult ages 15 and over, and youth 14 and younger.
For more information on the contest or to download the registration form, visit dovernh.org/ahd. All pies must be at the Rotary Arts Pavilion in Henry Law Park by 11 a.m. Registrations limited to one per person.
Where do I find food at Apple Harvest Day?
There'll be two food courts open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.: one located in Lower Henry Law Park and the other in the Ross Furniture parking lot at the north end of the festival on Third Street.
Both locations will offer a wide selection of festival food options including hot dogs, hamburgers, Italian sausages, French fries and ice cream. Certain specialty vendors will also be on site offering fair favorites such as candy apples, apple crisp, kettle corn, and fried dough. There will even be four different coffee vendors on hand.
Additional food vendors can be found throughout the festival on Henry Law Avenue, Central Avenue and Third Street, and local restaurants will be open for business.
Will there be a shuttle running during Apple Harvest Day?
Shuttle parking will be available between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. All shuttle parking is free of charge.
The drop-off and pick-up locations for both shuttles are on Washington Street in front of the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire located at 6 Washington St. in Dover.
Drivers can park in one of three lots around the city and take a shuttle downtown to Apple Harvest Day. The lots are: North End Shuttle Lot: Liberty Mutual Insurance, 100 Liberty Way Dover, NH 03820 (exit 9 off of Route 16); South End Shuttle Lot No. 1: 279 Locust St., Dover NH 03820 (Exit 7 off of Route 16); South End Shuttle Lot No. 2: 118 Central Avenue Dover NH 03820 (Exit 7 off of Route 16).
What children's activities are there at Apple Harvest Day?
Always a family favorite at Apple Harvest Day, the KidZone will once again be taking over Henry Law Park from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and featuring inflatables, face-painting and a roaming train.
Children and their parents are welcome to ride around the exterior of Lower Henry Law Park on a miniature Thomas the Tank Engine train driven by Conductor Dan of the Roaming Railroad.
There'll be bouncy houses, inflatable rides and interactive activities available for purchase. Profits from this year’s bracelet and ticket sales will benefit Dover Children’s Home. All day bounce wristbands are $10 for the “Big Kid” rides and $5 for the Kiddie City (under 48″) rides. Individual rides cost $2 each for one ticket.
The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire will host free family fun for kids ages 2 to 12. Located just outside the entrance of the museum on the new play patio, staff from the museum will have crafts and activities for children. There'll also be a take-home craft.
Wildlife Encounters will be on hand with a variety of wild, pet and farm animals in Upper Henry Law Park. This exhibit is free and open to all. No dogs and no smoking are allowed at the exhibit, and adult supervision is required for children under 8 years old.
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Dover’s Community Services department and Fire & Rescue Department will have construction and fire protection vehicles for kids to explore.
The New Hampshire Department of Children, Youth and Family’s Foster Care program will offer spin art, sand art and face-painting to younger festival attendees, while raising awareness about the state’s foster care program.
More: Street closures and parking restrictions for Apple Harvest Day and 5K Road Race
What entertainment will be at Apple Harvest Day?
Apple Harvest Day will feature performances on two stages: one at the Rotary Art Pavilion Stage at 30 Henry Law Ave., and the other at Waldron Court, 388 Central Ave., all day on Saturday, Oct. 1. Here's the schedule of events:
Rotary Arts Pavilion
9 a.m.: Opening Ceremonies, Dover High Marching Band
9:30 a.m.: Northeastern Ballet Theatre
10 a.m.: McDonough-Grimes Irish Dance
10:30 a.m.: UNH Theatre
11a.m.: WOKQ Pie Contest
12 Noon: Garrison Players Youth Troupe
12:30 p.m.: Seacoast Men of Harmony
1 p.m.: Indonesian Community Connect
1:30 p.m.: Millworks Theatre Troupe
2 p.m.: Musical Arts of Dover
2:30 p.m.: Sole City Dance
3 p.m.: Extreme Air of New Hampshire
Waldron Court Stage
10 a.m. Chris George
11 a.m. Jonathan Booth
Noon Joel Glenn Wixson
1 p.m. Bob Moore
2 p.m. Carol Coronis
3 p.m. Chris George
Check out the Dover chamber's Information Center
Visit the Information Center at the intersection of Washington Street and Central Avenue on Oct. 1 to find information and get answers to questions. Staff and volunteers with the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce can assist you with directions, stage lineups and vendor information.
Masks and hand sanitizer will be available at the Information Center, and the Chamber will be selling Apple Harvest Day and Cochecho Arts Festival merchandise.
Festival maps will be located throughout Central Avenue and Henry Law Avenue, or you can scan the Apple Harvest Day QR code to access the Apple Harvest Day website.
To see what organizations and vendors will be at Apple Harvest Day, visit appleharvestday.com. For more info, visit dovernh.org/apple-harvest-day.
This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Apple Harvest Day 2022 in Dover NH: What you need to know
