Discover Armagh’s rich apple growing heritage this bank holiday Monday 5th May.
The picturesque village of Loughgall, set in the heart of the Orchard County of Armagh will burst into colour for the annual Armagh Apple Blossom Fair on Monday 5th May as visitors to Loughgall County Park will be able to take part in a whole host of exciting and interesting activities celebrating Armagh’s rich apple growing heritage. The event will take place from 10.30am – 6.00pm with a wide range of activities for all ages to enjoy.
Rural Armagh is widely renowned as the Orchard County, growing some of the finest apples in the world. The origins of the Armagh Bramley Apple are well known and this humble fruit has become a worldwide phenomenon, securing the esteemed PGI status in 2012.
The annual Armagh Apple Blossom Fair brings this traditional fruit into the modern age, showcasing the high quality local food and produce available.
Throughout the day visitors can enjoy cookery demonstrations and dig into a scrumptious selection of all things apple as local chefs present a delicious selection of recipes using the Armagh Bramley.
Once stomachs are satisfied, visitors can enjoy the live musical entertainment whilst browsing through a wide variety of food and craft stalls, featuring some of the finest crafters and artisans from all over Northern Ireland. Over 20 high quality local crafters and apple producers will present a unique variety of handmade crafts and delicious locally produced apple goodies.
Guided tours of the orchards will bring the orchards to life with interesting stories surrounding the Armagh Bramley apple. Learn about the history of the local apple growing and the procedures involved with modern Bramley production. Visitors can choose from a coach tour, a walking tour or a bicycle tour of the Orchards. A limited number of bicycles are available free of charge.
Other activities on the day include live music and a barbeque, traditional afternoon tea with a selection of apple based treats, an apple tart competition and Scrufts Armagh, where local dog owners are asked to bring their canine friends along to the event as they battle it out in 4 categories; most handsomest male, prettiest female, best dressed dog and perfect puppy.
There are plenty of activities for children too with pony rides, cycling tours, an animal petting farm, traditional country games, a teddy bears picnic, children’s music and much more to keep the kids entertained.
Admission to the event is just £3.00 per person and under 4’s are free. Guided tours are included in the admission costs. For further information contact Armagh Visitor Information Centre on 028 3752 1800 or visit www.armagh.co.uk