Bramley Apple Festival 2025 to take place in Southwell, on October 25
A town will come together to celebrate its most famous export, the humble and much-loved Bramley Apple.
On Saturday, October 25, Southwell will host the annual Bramley Apple Festival, with juicy entertainment and a-peel-ing activities for everyone to enjoy.
It is a celebration of the famed Bramley cooking apple, which was first grown in the town from a pip planted by Mary Ann Brailsford in the early 1800s.
The versatile variety now stocks shelves the world over, and is a vital ingredient in many baked creations including the classic apple pie.
Festival chairman Roger Merryweather will plant a tree, alongside the Dean of Southwell, Canon Neil Evans, before festivities are officially opened inside Southwell Minster at 10.30am.
The Minster will be home to the Festival of Food and Drink throughout the day, until 3.30pm, with over 30 food and drink stalls to explore, and cooking demonstrations co-ordinated by Teresa Bovey.
Across the town, shops will be joining in with the fruity fun by setting up apple themed window displays, and the public can vote on their favourite in the People’s Choice Shop Window Award. Voting forms can be found at participating businesses.
The Hearty Goodfellow pub and other eateries will also be serving up special apple inspired meals, while shops will offer apple products.
Entries into this year’s Bramley Apple Pie baking contest will be displayed at Southwell Library, on King Street, with bakers hoping their pies pip the competition. These tasty creations will be on display from 10am to 3.30pm.
Entry forms can be picked up from the library, with a submission deadline of October 17. Winners will be announced at around 3pm on the day of the festival.
Families looking to create core memories can enjoy a host of fun, themed activities across the town, including at the National Trust’s Workhouse, which will feature apple printing and a longest apple peel competition, alongside musical entertainment from a pop-up choir.
As the day draws to a close the traditional crowning of the Bramley Apple King, Queen, Prince, and Princess, will take place at the library at 3pm.
Daphne Oxland, of the organising committee, said: “The festival brings the whole community together.
“Everyone in the town takes part, from the Minster, to all the shops, with events for people of all ages.
“The Bramley apple is an important part of the heritage of this town and people are rightly proud of it.”
Festival chairman, Roger Merryweather, added: “This will be a great day for the town, and we are especially grateful for the sponsorship provided by Nottinghamshire County Council, and Newark and Sherwood District Council.”
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