Apple-Scrapple Festival
The Apple-Scrapple Festival is an annual celebration of agriculture that’s held during the second weekend of October in the town of Bridgeville, Delaware. Started in 1992, the Apple-Scrapple Festival offers residents of the town a chance to experience the fun that comes from a hard day's work of farming and the growing of the food they eat, especially the apples from which the event takes its name. The festival's varied attractions, which span large portions of the town, contribute to the extreme growth in popularity it has seen over the almost 30 years since it first began. If you're in the mood for tasty food, tons of games and a look into some quirky local culture, the Apple-Scrapple Festival might just be your ideal vacation spot.
ACTIVITIES & ENTERTAINMENT
During the Apple-Scrapple Festival, there are tons of things to do all over Bridgeville that are fun for people of all ages. You'll have your pick of watching, participating in events or even eating at a multitude of stops during the festival.
You can attend the car show as a spectator or participate and experience the majesty of custom hot rods, classic cars, antique roadsters and more. Head down to T.S. Smith & Sons' apple farm for tours, wagon rides and free samples of Bridgeville's signature apples.
Take the entire family to watch the various invitees compete in the annual Scrapple Sling. See what the residents can do with their creativity and the festival's theme by decorating for the Kiwanis Home Decorating Contest. You can also choose to watch the incredible skills and athleticism on display at the Ladies' Iron Skillet Toss and Kids' Apple Toss.
St. Mary's Episcopal Church has a variety of things to enjoy from a homemade chili lunch and a bake sale to an eye-catching quilt display. Walnut Street and Laws Street are both home to the annual trade show where local businesses and artisans sell unique wares to anyone who would like them.
LOCATION
The Apple-Scrapple Festival is held all across Bridgeville in Sussex County. Festivities happen all throughout the town, meaning there's no set address for the event.
RVING AT THE EVENT
If you're planning to take your RVshare rental down to the Apple-Scrapple Festival, there's a ton you can do with your vehicle while in town. Given the decentralized nature of the festival, there aren't any specific places to camp out for the event itself. If you'd still like to camp, however, you've got tons of options, including:
• Redden State Forest. There are tons of ways to camp out in your RV with plenty of perks, one of which being the absolutely gorgeous natural surroundings. Though spots are limited, they're well worth the reservation, especially since it's free to stay in the forest. Barely 10 miles from Bridgeville, it puts you in a great position for going to and from the Apple-Scrapple Festival, meaning you can make the most of your vacation in both areas without wasting a ton of time driving back and forth.
• Holly Lake Campsites. Located in Millsboro, this is a great place to camp out while on your way to the Apple-Scrapple Festival. With full hookups, shower facilities, a pool and tons of other amenities, it's the perfect place to recharge after a long day of fun. It's also only 9 miles from the ocean, giving you even more options for how to spend your vacation.
• Homestead Campground. This scenic RV park in nearby Georgetown is located next to a bunch of fun Delaware attractions. Featuring amenities like showers, free Wi-Fi, a pair of Olympic-sized pools, a dog park, a game room and tons more, there's never a dull moment at this park. Even when you're not out at the Apple-Scrapple Festival, you won't be hurting for things to do and experience while you're here.
• G&R Campground. At this campground, you can enjoy everything this 10,000-square-foot property encompasses. This means full hookups, a pool, an activity hall, basketball and volleyball courts, a general store, a game room and plenty more for you to enjoy.
WHERE TO STAY
Despite it being such a small town, there is still a plethora of great lodging options in Bridgeville during the Apple-Scrapple Festival. Unless you're camping out in your RV and staying at one of the above-mentioned camping facilities, you'll likely need to visit at least one hotel over the course of your journey.
There are many hotels both in and just outside of Bridgeville. Hampton Inn, Comfort Suites and more all have a presence in the area and offer plenty of rooms. While being outside of Bridgeville itself might be better in terms of availability, be aware that the closest hotels are still likely to fill up fast given how popular the festival has become.
As a small town, Bridgeville excels at the classic bed-and-breakfast inn. There are plenty of friendly faces eager to make your vacation a little homier at one of these establishments. If you're looking for the comforts of home at an affordable price, this is probably the way to go. However, these establishments also fill up fast around the event date, potentially even faster than a normal hotel.
HOW TO GET THERE
Given that you'll be able to see the festival from just about anywhere in town, directions are usually more focused on how to make your way to Bridgeville itself. Getting here is a simple matter with various routes drivers can take.
When coming from up north, such as Philadelphia, take U.S. Route 1 South until you can get off on Route 13 South. Keep following Route 13 South until you see the sign for Bridgeville, at which point you'll be guided to parking via a collection of other signs.
If you're coming from down south, you can get to Bridgeville directly from U.S. Route 1 North. Just follow the road until you start seeing the signs for where to park.
If you're in the east, chances are you're approaching from somewhere near Georgetown. Navigate to the general area, and head down Route 18 West. Keep going straight through the Route 13 and Route 404 intersection, at which point you should be approaching Bridgeville.
In the west, head to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge by traveling along 50 East. Keep going that way until you can turn off on 404 East. From there, just follow the road until you make it into town.
PARKING
When you travel to Bridgeville for the Apple-Scrapple Festival, you'll see plenty of handy signs directing you to the two main parking fields on Main Street. One lot is for general parking while the other is specifically for handicap parking. While these are the main parking spaces for the event, any available spots you might be able to snag around town can also work as long as you're not obstructing traffic or getting in the way of others.
TICKETS & PRICING
Most of the fun you can have at the Apple-Scrapple Festival is entirely free. While specific events, like the antique car show, require a fee to enter, the only thing that requires tickets during the festival is the carnival. A dollar gets you a single-ride ticket while $35 gets you a ride bracelet that grants full access to all the rides. Additionally, you'll need to pay for any food you want to eat during the event, barring free samples or giveaways.
WRAP UP
RVshare is made up of lovers of all things outdoors. Therefore, the Apple-Scrapple Festival is probably one of the site’s visitors’ favorite events of the entire year. As simple as it is fun, the festival is the perfect way to get away from the hustle and bustle and unwind with some good food and entertainment while in your RV. Send some of your vacation pictures to [email protected], and you might even be featured in one of RVshare’s upcoming blogs.
Follow the Apple-Scrapple Festival's Facebook page (simply titled Apple-Scrapple Festival) to stay updated on the goings-on in town as the event draws closer.
Please note, this is not the official source of the event information. While we try to be as comprehensive as possible, some details may have changed since the time this article was written. Please confirm final details with the official event page.