AppleFest crowd packs downtown Chambersburg

It would have been easy to walk into Chambersburg’s jam-packed Applefest celebration this past Saturday and think there was no room for more people unless they were extremely small.

The streets teemed with people. People peering at a wide array of arts and crafts, people sample a dizzying variety of food, including Thai food, Italian sausage, chicken cheesesteak, French fries, popcorn, roasted nuts, ice cream, apple butter made right on the spot...

Maybe not the best place for those on strict dietary restrictions, but the long lines at the eateries indicated that diets were on holiday on Saturday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., the hours of the festival.

The best part, according to several attendees, was the diverse and happy throngs of people, sharing space, sights and conversations. Interestingly, few people seemed to be walking along in the 21st century mode of keeping a smartphone in front of their faces.

“It’s wonderful to see people talking to one another,” said Rose Wilson of Chambersburg. “We try to come down whenever there’s an event like this. It’s a good thing.”

The Sheetz company was a presenting sponsor of this year’s event. District Manager Scott Orwig said it’s his first year at Applefest and he was “blown away” by the response he was seeing.

Autumn and Wes Alleman of Newville took a lunch break on the square with their son, Preston, 10, and daughter Payton, who is 7.

Payton had just performed a newly learned cheerleading move called a “front walkover” as part of the Wilson Panther All-Stars demonstration at Kerrstown Square.

Local historian MaryAnn Bell of Chambersburg and her daughter, Kim Kelly of Mechanicsburg, chatted happily at one of the long tables on the square as Kelly worked her way through a smoked turkey leg.

Both woman have attended Applefest for many years, though Kim missed for a few years while living in North Carolina.

Bell worked for years behind the counter of the Thai food stand, but sat out this year because of some foot surgery.

Both said the festival was “really lively” years ago. “It’s more calming now,” said Bell. “More quiet.”

But they liked the festival both ways. “It’s just a good time to see people,” said Bell.