Two-day Apple Days festival gets under way in Julian

Julian Apple Days Festival gets under way at Menghini Winery today with apple-themed displays, music, dancing and apple pie.

The two-day festival, part of Julian’s Apple Days Celebration, will feature an antique tractor display, gold panning demonstrations, a beer and wine garden, food and merchandise vendors, contests and other activities, according to event organizers. Mr. and Mrs. Apple Days will be crowned at 1 p.m. Sunday.

“Today, Julian Apple Days is no longer a single day event but a full two-month celebration with a variety of daily activities,” said Tracy Turner, a Ramona resident and president of the Julian Merchants Association. “The festival gives you a special weekend of fun.”

Admission is $5 for adults and free for children ages 12 and younger. The first 250 paid attendees through the gate each day will receive a free pie

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More than 3,000 people attended last year’s festival.

The Apple Days celebration dates back to 1907 when Julian apples won the prestigious Wilder Medal, the highest award given by the American Pomological Society, which led to a fall festival dubbed Apple Day, according to the Julian Merchants Association.